Behind The Scene Photos: Actors With Their Stunt Doubles
Entertainment
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 stunties, irreplaceable even in multi-million dollar movies.
Harrison Ford Appreciates His Stuntman
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
The Fresh Prince And His Double
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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 his stunties. It is best to have one sitting in, ready to take over in case the first stuntman gets hurt, which isn’t uncommon.
Back in 2007, Will Smith was called the “most powerful actor in Hollywood” by Newsweek magazine. Even in his early acting years, he appear 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.
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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.
The Rock’s Stunt Double Hits Close To Home
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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.
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.
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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 teenage idol and sex symbol.
Magical Match
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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.
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.
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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.
In For The Kill
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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 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.
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.
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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.
A Conversation Between Magician
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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.
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.
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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.
Was Tom Hardy Really Necessary?
Fans and critics alike often find themselves asking whether it had been necessarily 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?
Sometimes Stunts Go Terribly Wrong
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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.
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.
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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.
Where’s The Rest Of Spidermans Uniform?
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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.
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?
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This movie was initially planned to be the beginning of several spin-offs, however, those had, at the time, been cancelled—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 stunties 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.
The Godfather’s Stunt Double
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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.
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.
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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 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.
Bond, James Bond
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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.
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.
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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, here 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.
Foxy Ladies
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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.
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.
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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.
Ian McKellan Needed A Few More Inches
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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.
This is a photograph of 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.
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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.
Marc Ruffalo’s 40-Year-Old Italian Doppelganger
Some stuntmen’s facial features may not be as strikingly similar as 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.
Shia LaBeouf’s Action Figure
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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.
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.
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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.
Ladies Behold, Two Chris Pratts
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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.
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.
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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.
Superhero Sisters
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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.
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.
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Jeannie Epper was almost as important as Lynda Carter to the success of the iconic Wonder Woman TV series in the 1970’s. 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.
What’s Better Than One Thor? Well, Two Of Course!
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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.
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.
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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.