There are many individuals who work towards making a film or television show a reality. Often, these people don't receive a lot of recognition for their invaluable contributions, like stunt performers. Men and women who put their health and wellbeing at risk just to help make films and television more thrilling for the audience.
Eddie Davenport is one such performer. He has appeared in high profile productions like WESTWORLD, CHUCK, THE ORVILLE, AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D, and REVOLUTION. He was also the stunt double for Hugh Jackman on the films REAL STEEL and LOGAN.
Eddie Davenport is one of the people instrumental in helping make "movie magic" happen. He is also a young actor looking to make a name for himself in front of the camera as well. His latest project is the gritty police drama BRONX SIU, where he plays a lead role, is currently airing on Amazon Prime and the Urban Movie Channel.
I recently, had the chance to talk with Eddie at length about being a stunt man, working with Hugh Jackman, the importance of saying "yes" to new opportunities, and a lot more!
________________
Wheels: What do you consider your first big break as a stuntman?
Eddie Davenport: First big break as a stuntman. I'll probably go, I mean I was working on the TV show CHUCK, for a bit, but the one job that was just so, that was just like, "Oh man, this is so amazing!" That was just so dear to my heart, was REAL STEEL.
That's the one that, that's the one 'cause it was like, Shawn Levy and [1st AD] Josh McLaglen, those guys, were just ... their vision and how they treated their performers was just so friggin’ amazing. And what was cool was that, I was in there to do motion capture for a few of the different robots. Then it was like, "Well you're the same size, and you're the same look and height as everything as Hugh Jackman, so you're gonna go ahead and be his stunt double as well." And I was like, "Holy shit, are you kidding me?" [laughs]
So that was a great run, and what was so cool is that was like the first time as a performer on a big project, I kinda got the freedom just to create. 'Cause they would be like, you know, I'm in my pajamas with a bunch of little sensors all over me. And they're like, "Here's what this robot looks like so, go ahead and create a walk, create a style that he would fight like, and you go and do your best to do that" So, it was just so cool. That whole experience was like, "Wow! This creative process, this is what's up. So that was a big deal for me
W: What's it like doubling for a big Hollywood actor like that? Did you have to study his movements, what's involved with preparing to double for someone who's as recognizable as Hugh Jackman?
ED: Well for me, I ... That's where the acting, for me, comes into play because I tried to ... I tried to just mimic everything he's doing and I completely listened to what he's bringing to that character, and I just do the same. And I just make sure I'm on the same page as him, like I don't do it my way, I do it the way he wants it to be done, and his vision of that character.
You know as an action double, it's less of trying to look cool and [more about] keeping the integrity of the character and ... you know, so that's what I would essentially bring ... that's what helped me a lot, because it was just like, "Hey, it's not about me, this isn't my character. I'm just doing the actions for it, so how I can absolutely, 100% stay in line with what Hugh Jackman wants out of this certain character.
W: Did he get a chance to sit and talk with you about what that means, or did you just study his movements or ...?
ED: As a stunt guy you kind of do the action and then when he comes in, and you're teaching him. What's great about that is, you learn all the fights all that stuff, and then when Hugh comes in and you're teaching him all the moves and all the fights and stuff like that. He's watching you for the moves, but then since he's that character, he puts his own, what his interpretation of those moves are, as that character. And then that is exactly what I look for.
W: What was your favorite moment from working on REAL STEEL? It’s such a great movie. It's really underappreciated.
ED: Yeah it is, it kinda became a little cult classic which I was totally stoked about, 'cause not a lot people went and saw it in the theaters. But now it's all over TV so that's a good thing. But for me, I would say the most memorable moment for me, was the shadow boxing sequence outside of the hotel. Where he's teaching Atom how to box. So, I was actually in my mocap suit which is essentially a big onesie set of pajamas and I'm on stilts, so that I'm the true height of what that robot's actually suppose to be. And we literally would just train what exact moves we want and everything. I don't know, we were just, it's ridiculous like, we were just so much in sync, doing what we were doing. And the tricky part for me was that, I was ... Because it's a shadow, all of my moves are opposite of what his are. So when he's swinging his right, I'm swinging my left. That was really tricky for me.
W: It sounds like it would be, yeah.
ED: But that was probably the most memorable moment, just being so connected and so in it, to where nothing existed but the person in front of me.
W: And it's got to be pretty surreal to be in that get-up and up on stilts, standing in front of this big name Hollywood actor, basically mimicking his movements, it's got be a really bizarre experience.
ED: Oh absolutely. It still gives me goosebumps now thinking back to ... You just really, it's the gratitude I have for those types of experiences and essentially that's just, as a performer it's what we live for, is those little moments and I just can't get enough of those.
W: Was it difficult to learn how to perform on stilts?
ED: Yeah, I would say it's, that was definitely different because you're like ... It's awkward because especially for someone like me who's around 200 pounds and 6'3", you're not used to being up that high and you're like, "That's a long way down to tumble," you know. So, I think it was just getting over that fear to where it's like, "Hey man, if you fall it's okay. You put on your elbows and you put on knees and you just pad up and if you fall, you fall." And the stunt team on REAL STEEL was good with that too. There was always somebody spotting when you're first learning and stuff like that. But yeah, that was definitely a transition. It was weird being up that high and having the ... It kinda helped that you could be a robot, you know what I mean?
Wheels: Yeah.
ED: So you were supposed to move little bit slower and plant those feet and stuff. That kinda helped. If I was just supposed to sprint down the street I'd have probably tumbled end over end. [laughs]
W: You worked with Hugh Jackman again on LOGAN both as a stunt performer and his stunt double. What were some of your memories of working on LOGAN with him?
ED: Oh man, the best memory. I mean he's such … you can't really say enough great things about Hugh. Everybody's just, "Oh I heard he's the nicest guy, is it true?" And it's just like, it's beyond true. The guy is just, sets the bar. He's so well aligned in his integrity and his purpose just to ... He's such a giver, you know. It's so amazing, he's so selfless and he's so full of heart, that it's just, it kinda makes you not wanna work with anybody else. For me, on LOGAN, the most memorable part for me was the staircase sequence in the farmhouse.
W: Oh, yeah, that's a great sequence.
ED: it was crazy what we had to do [to film that] because it was ... you know I'm holding on to a kid that is in one hand, that weighs like 86 to 90 pounds, in one arm. And I'm trying to go down these stairs without hitting my head on this thing, there were so many different variables. But then once the camera was rolling it was that same moment like on Real Steel, where it's just like nothing exists and everything was kinda just perfectly falls into place because we just so in sync in that scene. That was such a memorable scene for me. Like when I watch it still, especially now when I watch it because Hugh's face is on me. That freaks me out too, I'm like, "Huh!" That was creepy to watch for me.
W: So they did a digital replacement face? Yeah that has to be strange to see yourself and have it not look like you.
ED: Oh yeah. Yes, the first time I saw it, it was like, it was so creepy. [laughs] I remember being under the tent and the effects guys were like, "Hey, we've got a rough edit of this, go ahead and check it out." And Hugh and I sat there and watched it together. It was one of those things where he was laughing his ass off and I was totally creeped out but we couldn't stop, we had to keep replaying it, it was hilarious.
W: What initially attracted you to stunt work?
ED: Well, for me I just, [movies were] always an escape when I was kid. Like I was overweight and all of that when I was growing up. So my escape was always watching these awesome action moves with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Mel Gibson and Bruce Willis, and all of these guys. Like, you know, Wesley Snipes and all these guys so naturally I just wanted to grow and be an action hero like these guys. 'Cause it's like nobody ever bullied these guys, these guys were the action elite, so I was like, "Sweet! I wanna be these guys."
When I started doing live shows, some shows were like, "Oh, well this has ... do you know stage combat?" And I was like, "No! But I would love to learn that because that's like, that's so cool to me." So it, then kinda just, like a little snowball that just kept rolling and rolling and rolling. And then once I came out here to L.A., it was just another way to get my foot in the door. So I would just ... I don't know, I kinda just said yes to anything. There's was no resistance, I was like, "Yes, I'll do that."
Wheels: Yes. That's a great way to explain how opportunities happen. It’s how I ended up doing this, say “yes” every opportunity and eventually, it goes in good places.
Eddie Davenport: Yeah, exactly. You gotta stay open, keep all the doors open.
W: How did you go about learning stunt work? Are there schools you go to, did you find a mentor? I think that's part of it, that a lot of people just don't know much about it. How do you go at even getting in to stunt work.
ED: Well, it just ... See [Wheels], that's such a great question too, because I get asked that so many times it's just, "How do you get into this, what school can I go to, [etc.]”. Essentially, if you can find one thing that you're really good at, for me I was just a collegiate athlete, so and an actor, so for me I picked up things very quickly, like my learning curve was huge. To pick up motion, from being an athlete, and then with being an actor, it was just, I would retain everything.
For me, I first started out doing the live shows, and I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity by the current space manager for the MARVEL LIVE UNIVERSE [stunt show]. He gave me a shot at a place called PIRATE DINNER ADVENTURE in Orlando, Florida. It was kind of like MEDIEVAL TIMES.
W: I've actually heard of it, yeah.
ED: Yeah! There you go, you know what I'm talking about. He gave me a shot to audition there and that's where it was like, "You’re gonna have to learn a lot of fights," and all this stuff. Dave Morizot was the stunt coordinator of that show, and Dave is just, that's really who honed in my skills. Especially once I moved out to Los Angeles out here when they opened the pirate show [there].
I mean Dave is just unbelievable when it comes to fight choreography and stunt coordinating and he just gets it. He was the one doing their fight choreography for Alias, for all that, you know with Jen Garner?
W: Of course!
ED: Yeah, so he's really the one who honed in my skills and taught me fights with weapons and not only just how to do the action, but how to keep it busy, you know what I'm saying? So you're not just like standing there waiting for the next move, or waiting to get punched. You're actually keeping it busy to where everything flows like a nice dance, to where the scene is totally progressing.
W: What was involved with transitioning from being a live stunt show performer, to actually working in film? That's quite a big leap as far as the level of work.
ED: For me the biggest thing, the biggest jump for me was everything didn't need to be as big. 'Cause it's like, when you're on stage, it's the same thing with when I first started out doing theater, and then transitioning to film, it's like, it doesn't have to be as big. So, like making yourself a little bit smaller, and your moves smaller, and your reactions smaller. That was a transition that needed attention and especially once you get on and you're throwing punching and you're doing all this action, learning different camera angles. And whether you set up the camera and the choreography kind of needs to be modified a little bit, you know, if you're throwing a punch over here, but they've moved the camera, now it's a miss.
W: Makes sense.
ED: You gotta make sure you don't stack, so we can actually see the punch and see the other actors. That was a pretty big transition from being on stage, bigger than life, so everyone can you see you in the entire arena to, "Dude, we're three feet away from you with the camera, stop doing that."
W: In recent years, you’ve been doing more work as an actor, in shows like WESTWORLD and THE ORVILLE. You’ve got a large part in the new series BRONX SIU. How did you get involved with that project.
ED: I kind of lucked out when it came to Bronx SIU. Yeah, I've done shows with Mike Mayhall who was one of the writers and the director for the show before back in Orlando and out here in L.A., and I worked with him on the TV show REVOLUTION, so we knew each other pretty well, but it had been like a decade since we had worked with each other. And it was kind of, I think they were in a bind and somebody dropped out last second and they were like, "Ah, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do."
And it was just like, "Dude we start shooting here in like the next couple days." And I think, ironically enough, I ended up posting a picture on Instagram, like a throwback Thursday of me modeling in a suit. And apparently, that was exactly the look that they were going for, for [my character] Zakia, and Mike was just like, "Oh my god," and called me in. He's like, "Dude, what have you been doing, blah blah blah blah." So I filled him in, that, "Hey man, I transitioned over to acting and yada yada yada," and he was just like, "Holy crap. Dude, you're perfect, please tell me you're available." And I just finished a project, and I was like, "Actually, I am."
W: Goes back to saying yes, as much as possible.
ED: There you go, exactly. Say yes.
W: What's the hardest thing about going from a physical thing like stunt work, to something that's more verbal and more internal, like acting? What's the hardest part about transitioning there?
ED: I'd say the hardest part about transitioning from stunts to acting would be that ... with stunts, you're just, it's all your body. You're putting physicality into everything, you know what I mean. It's all about making the camera angles work, making something look gnarly, and making, you know reacting, making the other actors look good that are in the fights, making them look like the hero and powerful and stuff like that. And you're all doing it with your physicality.
With acting, it's almost quite the opposite. It's all heart, it's showing, you know what I mean. You gotta show so much vulnerability, and as a stunt guy you don't ever really do that. You're the ... you're like, I don't know how would you explain it, you're more vulnerable you're not invincible, you know what I mean? As a stunt guy. You hit the ground, you get back up, you do it again and you keep going, you keep going, you keep going. Unless you're supposed to get shot and die. [laughs]
But yeah, it's that whole vulnerability and tapping into your heart and really digging into your emotions, and allowing those emotions to show. To really feel everything. That’s the biggest difference.
W: I’ve got just a few more questions as we begin to wrap up. What's your favorite stunt that you ever done?
ED: Ooh, favorite stunt that I've ever done ... I mean, you kinda ... Getting to square off with Hugh Jackman with those claws, that's just, I mean, that's pretty friggn’ amazing. Getting to fight Wolverine one on one, as essentially a clone of Wolverine. That was, that's pretty unbelievable.
Another thing for me was ... and it sounds goofy to say this but, I've looked like, for me I'm such big goof and I like to go out and line dance and do all that stuff. So for me, being in shadow mode behind little Dakota Goyo, on REAL STEEL, and having to dance on stilts, and go between the crowd and dance and stuff. That was like, that just tickles me to death. Every time I see it I'm just like, "Yes! I wonder if I remember the dance."
W: What's the scariest thing you've ever done as a stunt performer?
ED: Ooh, the scariest thing. For me, I would say doing wire work that involves like, getting wrapped all around your body and then literally just, somebody pressing the button and you just get flown through the air, to the concrete. That's just ... Or into like a steel container on REVOLUTION. Those are the ones where you kinda just know, 'cause there's no padding or anything, and you kinda just know that, "Man, this is really gonna hurt. I hope I don't get hurt too bad."
W: I can't even imagine. Yeah.
ED: Yeah. Those are ... Those aren't the fun ones. I mean they make everybody cringe, but those really, REALLY aren't the fun ones to do.
Wheels: So, what's next for you after BRONX SIU?
ED: Right now, I actually am eyeballing a comedy for this production company called Deus Ex. And there's a funny little, there's a funny supporting role in there that I'm up for. So we'll see what happens with that. I actually worked with this company on AMERICAN FIGHTER. Which was the sequel to AMERICAN WRESTLER. So I got that lined up, so hopefully that comes through 'cause I love comedy.
So, I would love to be able to get in there and do that. But other than that, I got ... I got my, I just created my fitness program, which is essentially just everything I did from being overweight to transitioning to where I am now and being able to keep the weight off for like 12 years. So, I figured ... Men's Health did an article on me after Logan, 'cause they found out that I used to be pretty overweight. They thought that was crazy,(AUTHOR’S NOTE: that article can be read HERE) and then a bunch of people hit me up asking for tips, they were like, "Holy crap, you used to be fat, I don't believe it! Do you have any diet advice and da da da."
And I was like, "You know what, I'm just gonna create a program," or not create a program, but I'm just gonna, essentially just share my every day knowledge in hopes that it will inspire somebody to jump on it and essentially do what I did. So, I'm kinda elbow deep in that right now. But, still auditioning like crazy and always open to all possibilities.
W: Well again, always saying yes and being open.
ED: Yeah. That's how we roll!
__________________
BRONX SIU is airing now on Amazon Prime and the Urban Movie Channel.
Follow Eddie Davenport on Twitter: HERE
And on Instagram: HERE
-Wheels
