Abhiroop Das
Created by Jeff Norton, Netflix’s ‘Finding Her Edge‘ is as much a story about the fierce realm of competitive figure-skating as it is about the internal dilemmas of the figure skaters themselves. When Adriana Russo steps into the rink, time stops for the next few minutes, as she pours all her heart and soul into the craft. As the heir to the once-famous, but presently struggling, Russo Rinks, it is up to her to improve with every performance and win every competition, even when the competitors are her own friends. Thus begins a fierce battle of wits and athleticism, with each character fighting with the very best they have to offer. Based on the eponymous novel by Jennifer Iacopelli, the story of Olympic-level figure skaters naturally invites complex, but also graceful, skating sequences, and this sports romance series does not shy away from acing them.
A Former Ice Dancing Duo Brings Adriana and Brayden’s Best Performances to Life
While it is likely that the cast of ‘Finding Her Edge’ did train on ice, the vast majority of figure skating stunts are performed by professional athletes, who appear on the show as skate doubles. Specifically, Adriana Russo’s skillful on-screen skating maneuvers are brought to life by Nadiia Bashynska, a Ukrainian-Canadian ice dancer. Bashynska, along with her former partner, Peter Beaumont, is a two-time World Junior bronze medalist. Fittingly, the high-level skating of Brayden Elliot, Adriana’s ice dancing partner in the story, is performed by none other than Beaumont himself. As such, while actors Madelyn Keys and Cale Ambrozic essay Adriana and Brayden for the larger narrative, Bashynska and Beaumont light up the screen during the show’s ambitious figure-skating setpieces.
Bashynska and Beaumont began competing together in 2018, before clenching a bronze medal at the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Championships. The duo reportedly ended their partnership around March of 2025, citing personal reasons, but given that ‘Finding Her Edge’ was filmed around the same time, with the production ultimately wrapping up in June that year, it is probable that the duo put in their years’ worth of ice-dancing expertise and chemistry into the show, doubling as the two lead characters. Some of Adriana and Brayden’s most complicated skating sequences are also performed by Ally Hornsby and Justin Guignard, respectively, who channel their expertise in high-level choreography to make the show’s grand skating scenes as realistic as possible.
Finding Her Edge Lets the Pros Add an Extra Oomph to the Skating Setpieces
While Adriana and Brayden are the show’s highlight performers, there are several other characters who give them a run for their money, namely Adriana’s sisters, Elise and Maria Russo, as well as the ice-dancing duo of Freddie O’Connell and Riley Monroe. While the actors are present in many of the close-up shots, the most impressive sequences are reserved for trained professionals. Elise’s skating sequences reach the next level with the performance of Natasha Hewitt, while Rachel Martins serves as the skate double for Maria on-screen.
Nicholas Buelow, a silver medalist at the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships, dons the garb of Freddie for multiple key sequences, with Riley Jones also acting as Freddie’s skate double in episode 7. For the character of Riley Monroe, Aria Murrell serves as the primary skate double, with Sammi Vessell stepping in for several major set pieces as well. The rest of the cast, comprising characters such as Charlie, Sean, and Destiny, find their skate doubles in Juel Kowalczyk, Jacob Yang, and Lauren Audrey Batkova, respectively. All in all, the show blends performances from both the lead actors and professional figure skaters, who raise the bar with their expert maneuvers and dancing prowess.
While the feature actors step on the rink numerous times in the show, their skating sequences are more captured with close-up shots, allowing their emotions to pour through. For Madelyn Keys, who plays Adriana, the art of ice dancing and professional acting have some major overlaps as well as their own distinct challenges. “I think we (actors and figure skaters) have a similar understanding and appreciation for the emotional and connection elements of performances,” she said in a conversation with Teen Vogue, before adding, “but I cannot fathom doing it all on blades!” She further went on to state that a camera can’t quite accurately capture the sheer speed that elite skaters bring to the table, with increasingly complicated dance routines further amping up the show’s energy.
Read More: Where is Finding Her Edge Filmed? All Shooting Locations
