The Fall Guy stunt designer, Chris O’Hara, thinks it’s important not to put celebrities on “a pedal stool” — although after working with Ryan Gosling, there might be an exception.
“I just think [audiences] have the idea of who these [celebrities] are as A-list actors and Hollywood, but Ryan is truly one of the most down to earth guys who truly cares about everything that he does,” O’Hara, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly while discussing the action-comedy. “He thinks about everything that he does. He’s involved in everything he does.”
O’Hara noted that it was Gosling’s devotion to being a “dedicated family man” who “loves his family” that impressed him the most. (Gosling and longtime partner Eva Mendes share two daughters: Esmerelda, 9, and Amada, 8.)
“That’s my big thing,” O’Hara told Us. “If this whole movie business went away for me, my family would still be standing by my side. And so that’s one thing that I really learned about Ryan.”
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O’Hara is the first person to be credited as a “stunt designer” for his work on The Fall Guy, a designation that was recently approved by SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild. While speaking with Us, he emphasized that his job stems far beyond executing stunts and ensuring safety, which is why working with an actor like Gosling — who is actively engaged and involved in every step of the process from filming to promo — is so important.
“I mean, I have input, he’s got input. Everybody has input to try and make the best possible thing we can to promote this movie,” he explained. “And it’s been such an amazing ride to have that opportunity to work hand in hand with him. He’s such a good guy and the person that you think he is is absolutely the person that he is. He’s one of the best.”
The Fall Guy, which hit theaters on Friday, May 2, follows Colt Seaver (Gosling), a battle-scarred stuntman who springs back into action when the star of a big studio movie — directed by his ex-girlfriend, played by Emily Blunt — suddenly disappears. As the mystery surrounding the missing actor deepens, Colt soon finds himself ensnared in a sinister plot that pushes him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.
Gosling had no less than four stunt doubles for the film, who stepped in for the more death-defying moments. And while O’Hara admitted that Gosling isn’t exactly a “daredevil” by nature, he praised the actor for being “calculated” and willing to take chances.
“You can see him analyzing and really thinking about things and asking the right questions,” O’Hara told Us, adding that Gosling agreed to a huge fall in the film’s opening moments despite being afraid of heights. “If you’re going to have your actor fall, it has to be iconic and memorable, and achieved in a safe manner. And Ryan was game for it.”
O’Hara explained that after linking up with his “Australian stunt coordinator partner in crime,” Keir Beck, the duo used a “computerized winch” to help program the drop. After numerous weight bag tests, it was time for Gosling to step up to the plate.
“You put Ryan in there and you explain everything we have and how we’ve done it … and he makes his own assessment if he feels comfortable doing it,” O’Hara said. “We tested it with Ryan and he got all the information he needed and then we were able to pull it off. I think if you give him all the information, you do the testing, he’s game.”
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Despite taking a few chances to make sure the film felt authentic, Gosling has been candid about using stunt performers for the more dangerous aspects — and has become a vocal proponent for the addition of a stunt performer category at awards shows. O’Hara, for his part, appreciates Gosling helping to move the needle forward.
“Ryan’s very honest. Ryan’s been honest in all his interviews. He’s like, ‘I’ve had a stunt double since I was a kid.’ And so this is one of those times that he’s not going to sugarcoat it,” he told Us. “He’s not going to say, ‘I did all my own stunts because he wants to draw light to what we really do and we make. In the end, we really try and make the actors look as good as we possibly can.”
The Fall Guy is in theaters now.
