Stuntmen never get the same kind of star treatment Hollywood actors are used to, even if they play critical roles in every film. They are rarely recognized in public, and they are paid only a fraction of what main actors get for taking larger risks. These risks are at the heart of what makes the films exciting—the amazing hand-to-hand combat scenes, car crash performances, and explosion escapes—nothing is able to parallel the importance of stunt doubles, irreplaceable even in multi-million dollar movies.
The actors and actresses themselves know how crucial stunt doubles are, and they praise them. They make sure their efforts never go unnoticed. And now you can too with this amazing behind-the-scenes look into the world of stunt doubles.
A Conversation Between Magician
Daniel Radcliffe began his acting career at the age of 10 years old. His first TV film was David Copperfield in 1999, followed by the film The Tailor of Panama. His profile as an actor multiplied enormously when he began working on the Harry Potter films where he became internationally famous, propelling him to become one of the highest paid actors in the world.
David Radcliffe’s position as a lead actor, a prominent one at that, also placed his stunt double at a higher plane. After all, the role of a double is almost as important to the movie’s success. Here they are, photographed while having a conversation as if they haven’t a care in the world.
Harrison Ford Appreciates His Stuntman
Some actors can be full of themselves, knowing the full strength of their drawing power in making a film a top grosser. But you can take out the veteran actor, Harrison Ford, from that list. He knows from direct experience how important his stunt double, Vic Armstrong, has been to him in the shooting of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
He went out of his way to thank Armstrong by sending him a photograph of them both with a short message, showing his gratitude. When Harrison Ford couldn’t work the scenes after sustaining an injury, Vic Armstrong had his back and did a few acting scenes for him while he recovered.
The Fresh Prince And His Double
Back in 2007, Will Smith was called the “most powerful actor in Hollywood” by Newsweek magazine. Even in his early acting years, he appeared very physically able, even ripped. He looked perfect for action-packed films, or athletic roles. Unfortunately, he didn’t opt to do the stunts himself. His body would never be tested to withstand challenging scenes.
Considering that he has many fast-paced movies, like the Bad Boys franchise, and his portrayal of Muhammad Ali in Ali, it is just right that his stunt doubles get paid better than most. Besides, the budgets for most of his movies are really high.
Twin Vampires
Robert Pattinson proudly stands beside his unnamed stunt double in this picture. At certain angles, it would be difficult to identify one from the other—the hairstyle, skin complexion are all the same. More importantly, they share those soft features that had fans giggling when the Twilight franchise was at its peak.
One would be lucky to find a Hollywood double just as good-looking as this stuntman. Perhaps one day he’ll have a shot at being an actor, too. Although his performance might oddly be reminiscent of Twilight where he worked as a shadow of his vampiric counterpart.
The Rock’s Stunt Double Hits Close To Home
There are things blood relatives share that can’t be duplicated by a friend. This is especially so if both have to work together where the goal is to look, move, react, and tumble exactly like the other. At least Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson believes this is so, and he makes sure only his cousin, Tanoai Reed, has the honor of being his stunt double. They first worked together in the making of The Scorpion King in 2002, and have been inseparable on the set ever since.
Both are almost of the same height, and skin color. More importantly, their physiques are very similar. That means Tanoai Reed doesn’t have the luxury of sitting back and letting it go soft. He has to work out regularly to look as hard as “The Rock.” The next actress’ first challenge was to find a stunt double who would work with her on the set. She was only ten years old at the time, and her stunt double wasn’t all that happy about working for a child.
Stunt Double Bestie
Taylor Lautner is best known for his role as Jacob Black in the popular romance fantasy films of The Twilight Saga. At its peak, women went gaga over Lautner’s character and, of course, that meant over Taylor himself beyond the silver screen, as he became a teen idol and sex symbol.
He is photographed together with his stunt double, who doesn’t look bad either. They look much the same, even when they smile, and this reveals a bit of how close they must have become while working together.
Magical Match
This picture seems to have been taken during Emma Watson’s early days as an incipient actress. It must be from one of the many sets of the Harry Potter film series where she was cast for the role of Hermione Granger; an opportunity that gained her international prominence.
Her stunt double in this picture doesn’t seem like her at all, except for her hair and skin color. But to be fair with her, we don’t think Emma Watson’s beauty is easy to match. She’s beyond compare.
What Are The Chances You Find Two Beasts?
When WWE wrestler, Dave Batista, was chosen to play the intimidating role of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie that grossed more than $200 million, we thought that a man so used to a physical game would no longer need a stunt double. We were wrong, and here he is pictured with his stuntman Robert de Groot, who looks strikingly similar to the WWE star.
Dave Batista had to undergo acting classes prior to the formal shoot of the film. Of course, both Dave Batista and Robert de Groot had to get to know each other to make their actor-double tandem effective. It must be fun witnessing someone who is able to match such a formidable physical form and good looks at work. The chief thing between actors and their doubles is their looks, which must be similar so one cannot be easily distinguished from the other in a scene. They don’t have to be of the same age or gender.
In For The Kill
Carrie Fisher’s role as Princess Leia is highlighted by her leading the operation to recover Han from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. Here she is photographed sunbathing with her stunt double during a short break from work. They both wear the gold bikini she wore when her character killed the powerful crime lord.
She was asked if she’d rather have her double kill Jabba, and she defiantly said, “No! That's the best time I ever had as an actor. And the only reason to go into acting is if you can kill a giant monster.”
Are We Seeing Double?!
Brad Pitt and his stunt double stand shoulder to shoulder in the making of the crime-thriller film, The Counselor. This was shot in 2013, and Pitt played the role of a drug dealer, which means a lot of action for his stuntman. His unnamed double looks a little bit like him, although he’s a few inches shorter.
Both Brad Pitt and his double seem to show concern over how a particular stunt should go in this photograph. The stairs are quite steep, and Pitt didn’t want his stuntman to be hurt in the process. They checked out the spot, tested a few moves, and conferred about it. Both are said to have been working together for some time already.
Was Tom Hardy Really Necessary?
Fans and critics alike often find themselves asking whether it had been necessary at all for casting directors to have signed up Tom Hardy in The Dark Knight franchise. After all, in playing the role of Bane, his voice had been altered so much to make it barely recognizable. With his face masked the whole time, what difference did it make if Hardy played the part or not?
Well, we think it makes a world of difference to have his name listed among the cast. That in itself draws a strong following, it makes fans curious about his role and the film. But hiring him while letting a stunt double do all the work doesn’t really sound so smart, and may just backfire later on. Here he is in a wee chat with his stuntman.
Sometimes Stunts Go Terribly Wrong
The role of a stuntman can’t be taken for granted. The action scenes you witness in movies made for everyone’s viewing pleasure are a product of hard work and, most of the time, at the risk of someone else’s life or limb. That “someone else” being the stuntmen and women working behind the scenes.
For example, Tony Angelotti almost died while performing a “human yo-yo” scene working as a double for Johnny Depp. While filming for Pirates in the Caribbean, Angelotti almost died or sustained permanent injuries, which prompted him to sue Walt Disney for his mishap.
The Falcon's Loyal Stunt Double
Anthony Mackie makes sure a scene they are about to do will look credible enough to their audience. He discusses the options with his stunt double, who started working with him since 2012. They look very similar in form, and you could easily mistake one for the other if you were watching them from a distance.
This was taken during the set of Captain America: Civil War. Mackie has gone a long way from his role in 8 Mile to become a superhero. He wants to be better at what he does to continue his career ascent, and he’s glad he has a double he can trust.
Where's the Rest of Spiderman's Uniform?
Not all heroes wear capes, they say, but Spider-man wearing a pair of casual pants in action can be a bit too much to digest. This photograph was taken during the making of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, a film that performed below commercial expectations in 2014. And who knows why Spidey’s stunt double was wearing pants? What was he up to?
This movie was initially planned to be the beginning of several spin-offs, however, those had, at the time, been canceled—Venom, and Sinister 6—and an iteration was immediately planned instead with Tom Holland taking the role of Spider-man.
Tom Hiddleston Tries His Own Stunts
Tom Hiddleston tries to do his own stunts, which makes the lives of his doubles much easier. He does have two stunt doubles working for him as he fits in the role of Loki, and, no doubt, this photograph of them sitting up aligned makes us double take, initially thinking it’s a simple mirror trick.
Reports say that Tom Hiddleston is always finding ways to learn the tricks himself. He often asks about the best way to execute a flip in the air, or how to roll smoothly, or jump, somersault, and land on his feet. Very few actors in Hollywood enjoy doing such stunts themselves.
The Godfather's Stunt Double
Robert De Niro may now be 75 years old, but you wouldn’t want to mess with him as we’re sure he can muster up his angry face on cue, reminiscent of The Godfather days. Needless to say, the American actor treats his acting roles seriously. Even if it’s a comedy, his stunt doubles need to work accurately on any given task.
In this photograph, Robert De Niro’s character needs an adult body to be lifted on his shoulders. He could have done this easily decades ago, but grandfather time has come, and he’s grateful to the man who doubles for him. Just look at how he makes sure everything is in order though. What a professional.
Apparently, There Is Someone As Ripped As Schwarzenegger
Filmmakers and casting directors always go for actors that draw big crowds, with an appeal worth the bucks to sustain their project. They picked the right guy in Arnold Schwarzenegger to lead in the movie, Commando, which turned out to be a huge success, ranked the 7th highest-grossing movie back in 1985.
This decision also meant they had to scour the country for someone who could work as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s stunt double. It’s not easy to look for a guy as jacked as the former Mr. Universe but, believe it or not, they were able to find Peter Kent who was all too ready to grab the opportunity. Both look like huge mountains side by side.
Bond, James Bond
Daniel Craig is known for doing his own stunts. Maybe not all of them, but he certainly takes on a good number of them to make his acting look more credible. When asked about this, he said that he didn’t work out just to look good and take off his shirt. He wants to learn the special skills stuntmen have to undergo to earn a living.
The stunts he performed during the making of Casino Royale are deemed one of the best Bond stunts ever. When he’s not jumping from one building to the next, he can be seen taking tips from his double, practicing their moves.
Ben Affleck's Stuntman
Ben Affleck’s stand-in, Rich Cetrone, looks a tad older than him but makes up for it with his similar beard, identical height, and body structure; close enough with that of the Hollywood actor to fill in during quick action scenes. After all, you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody to fit in as Affleck’s double.
Luckily for Rich Cetrone, he doesn’t have to work too hard in the gym for the movie they’re working on. They’re said to be in Hawaii filming Triple Frontier, and this selfie came out during a party Affleck hosted for his 500-person crew.
Foxy Ladies
First of all, we just want to make it clear that there can’t be another gal out there as foxy as Megan Fox. But her stunt double right here is a close second to the original. They are photographed together apparently talking about making a particular scene, perhaps the two are sharing ideas on the matter.
Megan Fox had her first breakout role working with Shia LaBeouf in Transformers. This led her to more projects, and lead roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Jennifer’s Body. She has also appeared on the front cover of major magazines such as Rolling Stone, and Maxim.
From Dr. Mcdreamy To Action Hero
Patrick Dempsey has experience playing doctor, receiving critical acclaim for his role in Grey’s Anatomy. Did you know he also auditioned for the role of Dr. Chase in House? He’s now moved on from those roles, and in this picture, he’s in the middle of the set of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, tattered and all, with his stunt double looking as far away into the distance as he is.
His stuntman seems to look more like a young Dustin Hoffman, but Dempsey has a unique personality and look. We understand how finding somebody similar to him would be a real daunting task.
Ian McKellan Needed A Few More Inches
This is a photograph of a brilliant English actor, Ian McKellen, with his stunt doubles. If you’re clever enough to have spotted the odd boot worn by McKellen, this is an old trick used in the set so the directors would know which of the men is the main actor. So nothing gets muddled in the middle of the shoot.
Ian McKellen poses with his stunt double, together with his scale double that appears during Hobbit scenes in the filming of The Lord of the Rings.
Mark Ruffalo's 40-Year-Old Italian Doppelganger
Stuntmen’s facial features may not be as strikingly similar to the actors they try to portray. Perhaps they would need a haircut or a bit of makeup, a slight change of hair color, and that would suffice for a quick stunt double scene.
Anthony Molinari, in fact, has been a stuntman for popular actors George Clooney and Jeremy Renner, although they are barely look-alikes. But as you can see in this photograph, he is best suited to work for Marc Ruffalo, where even the minimal effort on his part to look like him would probably do the trick for some.
Shia LaBeouf's Action Figure
Before the filming of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in 2009, Shia Labeouf had a car accident. This caused the shooting to be delayed for two days, and director, Michael Bay, had to change many things in the movie to protect LaBeouf’s hand. Also, this meant that his stunt double would be seeing a lot more action in the process.
Here they are together, photographed amidst a whole lot of rubble. LaBeouf had also hit a prop while filming a scene that required some stitches. What actors would do without their stunts, we cannot imagine.
Zac's Ripped Side Kick
Zac Efron successfully shook off his old roles, though they were considered his breakout performances. Gone are his musical days of Hairspray and the High School Musical franchise. He has evolved into adult roles, shedding his “Disney kid” image with ease.
Here, he is seen photographed with his stunt double who appears to be a bit stouter than him. Perhaps this is intended to make him look even more mature at certain angles. Now a hunky shark, expect Zac to grow even more muscled and to become a more versatile actor in a variety of film genres.
Ladies Behold, Two Chris Pratts
Chris Pratt started his acting career as early as the 2000s. He started to become popular when he took up TV roles, having received acting awards for his character, Andy Dwyer, in Parks and Recreation. But 2014 would turn out to be a big year for him.
This is when Chris Pratt would successfully emerge as a leading man. This also meant that he would need a stunt double to work with him closely moving forward. Tony McFarr has done a great job at that so far, as they both kicked it off in The Guardians of the Galaxy. Their initial success would lead to more movies together: Jurassic World, and Avengers: Infinity War. Here’s hoping for more.
Stunt-Triples
Michael J. Fox’s character Marty had to avoid meeting his former or future self when running across time. A short brush with one of his younger or older versions would result in a proliferation of unpredictable repercussions in all possible dimensions. However, on the set of Back to the Future, Marty wasn’t played by Michael J. Fox alone.
When the cameras were shooting riskier scenes, Michael J. Fox was substituted by Charlie Croughwell (stunt double). He is pictured here with his other doubles, Kevin Holloway (photo double), and Robert Bennett (his stand-in). Watching all of them together makes you think dimensions have crisscrossed in real life.
Superhero Sisters
If some actors playing intimidating roles produce twice the fear when they show up behind the scenes with their stunt doubles, we’re sure you would love to be trapped behind a corner with Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman with her stunt partner, Jeannie Epper. You’d probably have to blink twice to assure yourself that you were not in some kind of daydream.
Jeannie Epper was almost as important as Lynda Carter to the success of the iconic Wonder Woman TV series in the 1970s. While Carter was busy wooing her viewers with her acting skills, Epper was only paid a paltry amount of $250 a day where she had to survive bomb explosions, leap off buildings, and perform a long list of Wonder Woman things in order to save the world.
Ingrid Kleinig, All-Star Stunt Woman
Margot Robbie had started to emerge as a lead actress in 2015. She played Jane Porter Clayton in The Legend of Tarzan, then Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad. During the filming of the latter movie, she started to work with her stunt double, Ingrid Kleinig, whose entry into the world of stunts commenced while she was performing 140 feet above the arena during the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics.
Ingrid Kleinig also doubles for actress, Evangeline Lilly, and has subbed for the Canadian actress in filming The Hobbit and Ant-Man. She can drive a truck and hold her breath underwater for over five minutes.
What's Better Than One Thor? Well, Two Of Course!
It’s tough enough to deal with Thor and his hammer, let alone another one who’s hard to distinguish from the main star. Bobby Holland Hanton has been Chris Hemsworth’s long-time double. Unlike Chris, Bobby has a wild streak to him, and he’s known as a bad boy.
Both have been working for quite a while now, and this longevity has helped draw the spotlight a bit to Bobby Holland Hanton. And why not? Since he has the looks and the build of Chris Hemsworth. A quick visit to his Instagram account will reveal that he has 108k followers and growing.
Not Completely Identical
John Travolta and his double don’t really look much alike in this picture. Plus, the hair color needs some gray streaks, and the style is different. But other than that, the guy can sub for Travolta at different indirect angles. They seem to move with the same gait, and they have similar body shapes.
Again, the similarities don’t really have to be so close for the tandem to work. But we wonder if he has the same dance moves as Travolta.
Captain and Co-Captain
Chris Evans is the perfect pick for the role of Captain America. He has the height and the physique of how a superhero should look like in a movie and, able as he seems, fans wonder how much of the actual action does he really take part in. Well, even if he did possess all the special skills required of stuntmen, we doubt Marvel would want him performing all that.
They wouldn’t want their multi-million dollar actor limping from a jump, or getting an unsightly scrape or two. That role is reserved for his double, here, photographed on the set. They seem like they’ve become well acquainted with each other, and that usually works for the best, professionally.
Uma Thurman Fierce Stunt Double, Zoe Bell
Uma Thurman plays the part of the Bride in the movie Kill Bill, who travels to Japan to take revenge against the assassins who tried to kill her and her unborn child. There she would take on the likes of O-ren Ishii, and Vernita Green.
You really wouldn’t want to mess with her or, better yet, stay away from her stunt double Zoe Bell who’s the real deal behind all the incredible fighting scenes. She’s also noted for her role doubling for Lucy Lawless in all the extreme scenes of Xena.
Actors That Are Minors Legally Need Stunt Doubles
Perhaps an actress as young as Quvenzhané Wallis would be willing to do both the acting and the stunts herself, as energetic and excited as they can be at the start of their careers, but this set-up isn’t legally possible. Contracts expressly provide that child stars must have stunt doubles for particular scenes.
Her double for the movie Annie found herself in a conundrum. She was glad to have landed a job, but it entailed wearing a mini denim kiddie skirt while jovially singing the show’s tunes, which can be quite condescending for a woman her age; presented as a ten-year-old.
J-Lo's Stunt Double Isn't Exactly Who You Expected
Jennifer Lopez is so beautiful, a stunner; her sensuous dance moves in music videos make you want to hit replay over and over again. Just make sure you’re indeed watching her ‘cause it’d be tough to distinguish her in a music video from her male stunt double whose cheekbones are so fierce they could kill.
In the making of the video “Follow the Leader,” this unnamed stuntman was able to rock J-Lo’s hair and makeup. Go review the video one more time and see if you can tell him apart. You’d be surprised at how effectively the stuntman has fused himself into the sexy Jennifer Lopez we adore.
Ginger Brothers
Rupert Grint became famous for portraying one of the major characters in the Harry Potter film series. He started at the age of 11, and he has since starred in all its films since 2001. Grint is photographed here with his unnamed double, who looks like his long-lost brother.
Not only do they look similar, but they also have identical frames to match that hairstyle and awkward half-grin the character Ron Weasley is known to exhibit when caught in odd situations.
Like To Do His Own Stunts
Tom Cruise may be one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, but he also makes sure you get more than your money’s worth. He can even make poor films eventually pick up in the box office purely because his name is such a big draw. Plus, he works really hard on his roles.
Another fact you should know about Tom Cruise is that he likes to do his own stunts. Apparently not all the stunts, as you can see him working with his stunt double in the picture. But believe us when we say, Tom Cruise thrives on dangerous scenes. He likes to do the chasing himself, loves the thrill of jumping across another building, and even piloted a chopper, diving in between mountain ranges in Mission: Impossible: Fallout.
Double Trouble
George R.R. Martin’s mind must be filled with scary characters, some of which have successfully surfaced in his epic novel, A Song of Ice and Fire; adapted into an HBO series titled Game of Thrones. Among the most blood-curdling characters are The Hound and Brienne of Tarth.
If you’ve watched season four of the series, where Arya refused to go with Brienne, so the latter and The Hound fought to the death; this photograph was taken after that shoot. Imagine meeting these four in a real-life scene, all by yourself. It would be double the fear and danger.
Chandler Riggs Stunt Double Is The Complete Opposite Of Him
If it freaks us out to witness look-a-likes working a scene together, imagine how the 19-year-old American actor, Chandler Riggs, must have felt when he realized his stunt double is a 33-year-old woman. It must have blown his mind.
Emily Brobst has been working on the set of the hugely popular TV series, The Walking Dead, where Chandler Riggs plays the character, Carl Grimes. She gets the job done effectively, which proves that a stunt double doesn’t have to be of the same sex as the actor. In fact, female studies are common when doubling for younger actors. Structure-wise, men stuntmen are bulkier. Younger males that haven’t reached puberty yet look more identical to and are better represented by adult female stunt doubles. Stunts men or female doubles aren’t just employed to work on movies or in a TV series. In the case of actress, Jennifer Lopez, she had one work for her in a music video.
Not as Young as He Used to Be
Keanu Reeves is another action star who's known for doing many of his own stunts but at 54 years it's only normal to pump the breaks a bit and leave some of the action to the younger guys. In this photo, you can see Reeves saddled on a horse next to his wigged stunt double, on the set of the movie John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.
Fun fact: The John Wick movie franchise was directed by one of Reeves former stunt doubles, Chad Stahelski. Yes, stuntman turned Hollywood movie director. Who knows where this stuntman will be 10 years from now?
The Woman Behind Some of the Biggest Names in Hollywood
Natascha Hopkins is one of the hardest working stuntwomen in the business. She's stunt doubled for a long list of African American actresses in film and singers for their music videos. Her impressive resume includes working with actresses like Kerry Washington, Zoe Kravitz, Halle Berry, and Queen Bey, Beyonce.
In an interview, Natascha Hopkins explained what a difficult job she has, she must maintain maximum muscle strength, which she needs in order to safely and effectively perform all the stunts she does, all while remaining as petite as possible in order to resemble the actresses she doubles for. Like most physically demanding jobs, the stunt world is male-dominated, leaving fewer opportunities for women, so Hopkins knows she must always stay on her A-game if she wants to grab a role.
Masts' Transformation
You can see Mark Wahlberg on the set of 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' posing next to his "shadow", stuntman, Dan Mast. When Business Insider asked Mast about how he managed to obtain Walberg's iconic physique he said that the hardest part was actually finding a place to work out during filming. "It was hard finding a gym close enough because we were living out of hotels," said Mast. "And hotel gyms are awful."
Once Mast found a proper gym he got on his mission to bulk up, his regime included following an intense weight lifting program: an hour a day, 5-6 days a week and a rather boring but steady diet that consisted of plenty protein shakes. The rest was hair and makeup, and the result is pretty epic!
"I Got This"
The beloved Indian actress, singer, and former Miss World (2000) took on Hollywood by storm and remains one of the most influential figures in the industry. When she took on an action role, she got stunt double, Aja Frary, to gives her the moves. In this photo it looks as though Chopra is giving her body double a few fighting tips, did Chopra have fighting past that we didn't know about?
In Quantico season 3, Chopra performed some of her own stunts. Perhaps she felt inspired by Frary, or maybe she felt as though she could do it better herself? We're sure she just wanted to try something new.
Say Her Name
Once shamelessly credited as "Fat Amy" by IMDb, stunt woman, Joette Orman, has now made a name for herself. She describes herself as being “top heavy,” and in an interview expressed how difficult it used to be for to find work as a stunt double because her body is more representative of "regular" American women (67% of whom wear a size 14 or above) rather than Hollywood women. In recent years more voluptuous actresses have risen to fame, so Orman has had the chance to do stunts for Margo Martindale, Casey Wilson, Christina Hendricks, and Rebel Wilson (in the photo below).
As Hollywood is slowly becoming more diverse, Orman is now constantly booked, and she even sees more "top heavy" stunt woman auditioning for roles reflective of the rising demand.
Double Trouble
You've probably already noticed that in order to be a stunt double, you don't have to look exactly like the actor you're portraying, adults stand in for children actors and male stuntmen stand-in for female actresses. But in the case, if Regina King and her stunt double on the set of Southland, they absolutely nailed it.
With similar skin tones, and eyes, it looks like the stunt women could easily pass as King's sister.
Young Jackie Chan
Jackie is one of Hollywoods most famous martial artists. A few years ago Chan admitted that age is starting to become a factor as his once flawless execution isn't what it used to be. He was fortunate enough to find a stunt double, Liu Peng, who truly resembles a younger version of him and happens to be quite a talent.
Peng, who's been doubling for Chan since 2014 has worked with Chan in four films so far: “Skiptrace,” “Kung Fu Yoga,” “Railroad Tigers,” and “Bleeding Steel,”. He served in the Chinese military for two years and later worked in security before he decided to pursue his new career path. In fact, Peng aspires to become an action star in his own right like his idol, Jackie Cahn. Perhaps he will be the next big thing. Stay tuned!
Like Sisters
Jamie Alexander and her stunt double, Kylie Furneaux, in the drama series, Blindspot, look as though they could be sisters! Perhaps the fact that they've been working together for over 10 years, things started to rub off on one another. The two are very close offset, and have a lot in common, well except for the fact that Furneaux knows Kung-Fu and can jump out of planes.
Whenever Alexander lands a gig she always calls up her friend, so if you see her doing something extraordinary in a film or TV show, you can be sure Furneaux is behind all the cool tricks.
Squad Goals
Game of Thrones geeks may get a new appreciation for these body doubles who step in for the more demanding shots of the hit TV series. This epic shot shows Emilia Clarke stunt double, Rosie Mac, who embodies Queen Daenerys in all the most epic scenes you can think of. And low and behold- her fellow stunt doubles are posing with her.
Who do you think resembles their original actor the most?
Winslet Needed Help Too
Kate Winslet and her double on the set of the classic film Titanic. You may be thinking to yourself, as the damsel of distress in the movie, what stunts did her double have to fill in for, but think about all of the running around, and the water scenes, all that can be a lot for an actress especially during soots that last for several hours, if not all day, for several days.
Winslet's double looks the role and was physically fit to do anything needed to truly emulate the actress while staying true to the film's character, Rose.
The Incredible Hulk(s)
In this photo, you can see Manny Perry a popular American stunt coordinator and stuntman who started his career in the bodybuilding world and winning the titles for, Mr. USA, Mr. America, and even Mr. World. He later transitioned into stunt performing, with his starting role in The Incredible Hulk, which was beautifully captured in the photo below, alongside Lou Ferrigno (left) and Frank Orsatti (center), who was Bill Bixby's stunt man in the series.
Perry was one of the few African American stuntmen in the business, and today has over 200 stunt and stunt coordinator credits to his name and has gone against some of the top names in action films for over 30 years.
Family on the Set
You'd think it'd be impossible to find a body double to match the physique of Huge Jackman's as Wolverine, but coincidently, the actor's brother-in-law was perfect for the part. Richard Bradshaw is not only a stuntman but also a trained actor, which makes him such a sought after professional. His stunt career spans nearly 30 years, and he's appeared on films such as The Fifth Element, Titanic, and Tomorrow Never Dies.
He's also been involved in the production of the hit show, Game of Thrones, serving as both a performer and the show's assistant stunt coordinator for more than 20 episodes. Bradshaw does all of Jackman's cool stunts in X-Men 2, The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Days of Future Past.
"Golfing Buddies"
Michael Douglas is actually good friends and golfing buddy with his stunt-double, who been doing amazing stunts for him for 26 years now. Not only are the similarities striking between them, but they share the same first name as well, Michael! Michael Runyard has also doubled for Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Adam Sandler, and Christopher Walken in the past.
Runyard officially began working with Douglas in 1988 on the set of the film "Black Rain," and they remained friends. Here you can see the "twins" on the set of Ant-Man.
The Gladiator to the Rescue
Angelina Jolie's stunt double on the set of her movie "Salt" back in 2009, was nonother than stuntwoman, Eunice Huthart, the first female TV Gladiator. The duo first met on the set the Tomb Raider movies, when Jolie portrayed Lara Croft. Huthart then continued to double for her in several films and, and after 11 years of working alongside the A-lister, she had only good things to say about her. Huthart, said in an interview “Honestly, I wouldn’t have worked with her for as long as I have if she was some Hollywood idiot, but she isn’t... She’s just brilliant and such a nice person.”
Huthart admits to having her fair share of injuries in the past and having her husband worried while visiting her at the hospital, but she loves what she does and tries to be as careful as possible. And we have to admit, she makes Jolie look really cool in all her roles. It's amazing how hair, makeup, and matching outfits can have viewers completely fooled, you think Jolie is a true stunt woman herself.
Little Frodo
At 5.5 ft (1.68 m) Elijah Wood is shorter than the average America male, but in order to portray his Hobbit character, Frodo, he needed to scale down a lot more. That's when his scale double, Kiran Shah, came to the rescue.
According to the Guinness World Records Kiran Shah is the world's shortest stuntman, and has appeared in nearly 40 films as stuntman or body double. His resume includes blockbuster films like Superman I and II, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, Aliens, Braveheart, and Titanic where he stunt doubled all the children in the film.
Leave the Stunts for Stunt Doubles
This is a throwback form 2013 of Danny Trejo with his stunt double on the set of Machete Kills. Trejo has expressed his adoration for stuntmen and has even spoken out against actor who attempts to do their own stunts on a few occasions.
Trejo said in an interview "I know that all the big stars hate me to say this, but I don’t want to risk 80 peoples’ jobs just to say I got big huevos on The Tonight Show. He continued "We have stunt people who do that stuff. And if they get hurt, I’m sorry to say but they just need to put a mustache on another Mexican and we can keep going. But if I get hurt, everybody’s out of a job. So I don’t choose to do that.". What do you think? Should actors stick to acting and leave stunts for the professionals?
Snake Got Revenge
The early 1980s were inarguably Kurt Russell’s peak. Fans will remember how he embodied the Snake Plissken with the iconic eye patch in Escape from New York (1981). His stunt double Dick Warlock didn't have it easy filing in for Russell.
When filming the boxing match fight scene, the man playing his opponent was, in fact, a real wrestler named Ox. Apparently, Ox didn’t know how to "act" like he was fighting and beat the stunt double’s to the point that he couldn't do the master shot so Russell had to go ahead and do his own stunts. Lucky for him, it was the scene where Snake finally kills off his opponent because Ox had to lie still while Russell "pretended" to take him out; however, Russel did later admit to avenging his stuntman and hitting a little bit harder than required for an acting scene.
The Man in the Suite
Clay Donahue Fontenot was listed among Business Insiders most sought after stuntmen in the movie industry. He's performed in over 60 films, from Blade to Django Unchained and most recently, Iron Man. Yep, Fontenot is the man in the suit, performing Robert Downey Jr.'s stunts, so much so, that the Iron Man suit was actually designed specifically for the stunt double's body.
As talented as an actor Robert Downey Jr. is, Fontenot is the one doing all the cool moves Iron Man does in the battle scenes we so love. Bravo!
Mask Off
This photo had the internet gushing with nostalgia when it popped up. You can see Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, and their stunt doubles on the set of the classic film, The Mask in 1994 (feel old?). Any fan of the film remembers this dancing scene. Apparently, the actors didn't have the moves, but luckily they had professional dancers that helped them pull off the iconic scene. The Mask was actually Diaz's breakthrough roll into Hollywood and one of Carrey's most memorable roles.
Perhaps their dancers deserve a little credit for putting them on the map?
Speaking With Actions
Jason Momoa, now known as Aquaman to DC comic fans, had to have two stunt doubles on the set of the movie. The 39-year-old Hawaiian actor actually does many of his own stunts, but wisely chose to leave the more extravagant action sequences to his professional doppelgangers. 'I needed help. I'm almost 40 and it's starting to hurt, so there's just so many stunts,' Momoa told the Daily Mail.
Momoa has also expressed how important he thinks his stunts are in a film, as he's never had lengthy speaking roles in the past, 'I don't normally say a lot of things, so I have to speak with my actions.' and that he does, if you've seen his action films.
Triple Threat
Bruce Willis has made a great career out of being an action hero. From his role as John McClane in the Die Hard franchise to 12 Monkeys, and The Fifth Element, he sure is in his element when going up against the bad guys.
Perhaps that is why he is photographed with not one but two stunt doubles. The more action required in a movie, the riskier it gets for the actor's stuntman or woman. It is best to have one sitting in, ready to take over in case the first stuntman gets hurt, which isn’t uncommon.