Biografia
Aja was born in Seattle, Washington, and demonstrated athletic talent from an early age. By elementary school, she was outpacing all the boys on the playground. Her mother, Soun Frary, was a ballerina, and her father, Lee Leavy, was a California State High School Wrestling Champion, providing Aja with a strong athletic heritage. She excelled as a three-sport athlete in high school and earned a full scholarship for Track and Field Heptathlon at San Diego State University.
During her college years, Aja became a Division 1 NCAA Bronze Medalist and received All-American honors by her senior year. In 2000, while still competing collegiately, she was among the youngest participants at the Olympic Trials, finishing ninth. After graduation, Aja joined the United States Olympic Training Center program, allowing her to train full-time and compete nationally and internationally. In 2004, just before what promised to be her most significant Olympic Trials, she suffered an injury. Unable to compete and after over a decade of elite competition, she took time off to recover.
Aja spent that summer visiting family in New York City on her father's side, and the city's vibrant atmosphere captivated her, extending her stay to a year. A college friend recognized her potential as a stunt double and performer, leading to her first film role in the 2006 movie American Gangster. Her career quickly gained momentum, and she has since become one of the most sought-after stuntwomen in the country.
In 2016, Aja was inducted into the Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures, marking one of the highest achievements of her career.
That same year, she married Philip Silvera, a Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director. The couple currently lives in New York City.
