David Leitch & Chad Stahelski | "The Matrix" Changed Their Lives

A stunt double for a sci-fi film

Chad Stahelski was working on the TV series NYPD Blue when he received a phone call asking if he wanted to be Keanu Reeves' stunt double in a new sci-fi movie. Chad hesitated; after weeks of being shot at and hit by cars on the streets of New York, what could he possibly contribute to the realm of sci-fi? Having just finished shooting a scene where he was hit by a car at six in the morning, Chad showed up for "The Matrix" audition in a T-shirt and jeans, displaying a calm attitude—though he had lunch first. But apparently, the audition went well; a few weeks later, the production team called him, requesting a second audition in Australia.

Though Chad was puzzled, when he traveled across the globe to the Australian set for the audition, he discovered that the audition involved a martial arts fight scene, which Chad realized might be his chance to shine—despite not understanding why there would be an Eastern martial arts scene in a sci-fi film.

Seeing Keanu Reeves engaged in combat, Chad thought the guy's moves seemed stiff. After a 45-minute sweaty audition, Chad landed the job. He met Yuen Woo Ping and, surprisingly, the Wachowskis, who didn't know much about martial arts. He initially thought it was just another job. Still, during the year-long shoot, Chad experienced something beyond his imagination: "The Matrix changed my life."

The Hong Kong Stuntwork That Astonished Hollywood

Yuen Woo Ping's Hong Kong team introduced Chad to wire-fu techniques he had never seen before, and it wasn't just Chad who was amazed—Hollywood as a whole was astonished. Everyone knew that Hong Kong action films featured a lot of wirework, allowing actors to be lifted high into the air. Previously, in Hollywood films, if someone had to be thrown into the air, they would use a ratchet, and the person would always land in a parabolic arc. But with wires, complex aerial maneuvers could be executed. Heroines could fly through the air, pause mid-flight, and then extend their legs to kick someone.

The Yuen Woo Ping Stunt Team brought bundles of wires, making "The Matrix" the pioneer of wire-fu in Hollywood, sparking a wave of wire-fu action films. Even "X-Men," "Spider-Man," and even "Charmed" inquired about collaborating on wire work. Hollywood was fascinated by wire work, and Chad was one of the first disciples of Yuen Woo Ping in Hollywood.

However, what impressed Chad about the Yuen Woo Ping Stunt Team was how they seamlessly integrated martial arts with the story, rather than just handling the fight scenes indicated in the script or rehearsing them according to storyboard directions and then calling it a day. Yuen Woo Ping brought the essence of Hong Kong action films to Hollywood. The Wachowskis, who had idolized Hong Kong action films since childhood, allowed the esteemed master they had brought in from afar to have creative freedom.

In Hong Kong action films, fight scenes were the main attraction, and a fight choreographer could influence established storyboards or even the script based on any inspiration during rehearsals. This approach elevated fight scenes beyond action sequences without dialogue; the fights could create dramatic effects. Jackie Chan sweeping through a group of villains with a bench in a memorable scene didn't need any dialogue; it relied on action and his facial expressions to convey emotions like shock, relief, fear, and pride.

The Hollywood Disciples of the Hong Kong Stunt Team

Yet, the Yuen Woo Ping Stunt Team also accommodated Hollywood culture. While the directors granted Yuen Woo Ping significant creative freedom, the team had to spend twice as much rehearsal time as in Hong Kong to first design and finalize what they believed to be the perfect fight scene before discussing it with the director. They could have been more accessible than in Hong Kong, where they could adjust and improvise during rehearsals. Faced with Hollywood's emphasis on planning and schedule control, the Yuen Woo Ping Stunt Team spent significant time rehearsing to prevent production schedules from going awry. However, this also meant that Chad Stahelski's working hours were extremely long.

But this was an excellent learning opportunity. While the Yuen Woo Ping Stunt Team may have declined in today's world, there were fair-haired and blue-eyed heirs of the Yuen family philosophy in distant Hollywood, upholding these principles. Before actual filming, the fight choreographer spent much time devising exciting fight sequences. This approach and the application of wire-fu techniques became Chad Stahelski's philosophy for making action martial arts films, laying the groundwork for this enthusiast not to be confined to stunt work alone.

Chad and David Leitch, who joined during "The Matrix Reloaded," learned not only the golden era of kung fu film production culture but also witnessed Keanu Reeves' unwavering dedication. Most importantly, they were deeply influenced by the Wachowskis' directorial style. "The Matrix" trilogy wasn't just an action movie series but also a sci-fi film filled with mystery and epic style. And like the Wachowskis, who were perfectionists, they incorporated their understanding of classic old movies into this groundbreaking new film.

David Leitch and Chad Stahelski's journey in Hollywood initially began like many agile young people, trying stunt work as a stepping stone in their careers. But even rare was their willingness to ponder how to make action movies look better, how to seamlessly integrate martial arts action with the plot itself, and even complement each other, making the film more fluid and exciting. Fortunately, they encountered a kung fu film master, two nerds who loved kung fu movies, and an actor striving to become a kung fu film star. Their experience working with this "super-perfect" team gave rise to the future "87 Eleven," making David Leitch and Chad synonymous with spectacular action movies in recent years...

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