“I’ve always been a bit of a tom-boy, I grew up that way… I never wanted to be a damsel in distress. I wanted to be Xena: Warrior Princess.”

For our first live episode – recorded at the wonderful Depot Cinema in Lewes, UK – we welcome back the actor and martial artist Katrina Durden, who first appeared on Episode 12 of the podcast back in 2017. From her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Doctor Strange (2016) and Joey Ansah‘s fantastic Street Fighter web series, to roles in TV’s Strike Back, Heads of State starring Idris Elba and John Cena, and the upcoming Red Sonja reboot, Katrina has been kicking-ass in action movies for over a decade. In this special live episode, podcast host Ben Johnson is joined by friend of the show and author of Life of Action, Mike Fury, to discuss Katrina’s journey from London to Hollywood, her inspirations both on-screen and off, and her experiences working in action movies.

This conversation took place after a rare screening of the 1967 Taiwanese wuxia classic, Dragon Inn, directed by Chinese auteur King Hu, showing as part of the BFI’s Art of Action season. Ben, Katrina and Mike discuss why the film is so important in the history of martial arts cinema, and how it continues to inspire generations of filmmakers. This conversation took place on 7 November 2024 and is the first of four live shows recorded as part of the BFI’s Art of Action season, organised in association with the Independent Cinema Office and Film Hub South East. A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the show and the wonderful staff at the Depot Cinema in Lewes.

For all the latest Katrina Durden news, follow Katrina on Instagram. For all the latest Mike Fury news, follow Mike on Instagram and visit his website, mikefury.net.

From left: Ben Johnson, Mike Fury and Katrina Durden at the Depot Cinema in Lewes, UK.