Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris O’hara
Hi Chris , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I went to college in Philadelphia at Temple University. I was a collegiate gymnast there. After graduation, I still had a desire to compete and perform. My coach knew a stunt guy in New York, so I drove up to visit him on set. After talking with him for a couple of hours, I asked the important question, “If you were just starting out in the stunt business, would you stay in NY or move to LA?” His response was, “I would move to LA; there is more competition, but there is more work.” That was all I needed to hear; I packed up all of my belongings in my car and drove to LA. I had a former teammate who lived in Redondo Beach; that is where I landed. So in 1995, my pursuit of becoming a stuntman began. I was very fortunate early on; a six-foot gymnast was a bit of an oddity. As I got used to my new surroundings, I found five guys in the South Bay with whom I spent every day training for years. Honing our craft together, they were martial artists and motorcycle riders, and I was the gymnast. We all taught each other our respective skills. Most people said that we needed to move to the valley to get closer to the studios, but we had a good thing going in the South Bay. With our trusty Thomas Guides, we could get anywhere. During the early years of my career, my jobs centered around TV. TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Martial Law, The Pretender, and Charmed kept a lot of young stunt performers working. My career was going really well, and in 2001, I was invited to join the prestigious group called Stunts Unlimited. The members of Stunts Unlimited were responsible for laying the groundwork for where we are today in films and TV. Hal Needham, Ronnie Rondell, and Glen Wilder started the group in 1970 with the idea of bringing the best of the best into the group and raising the level of stunts in cinema. Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to work on some amazing projects with amazing crews. Being part of films that people tried to emulate has been the highlight of my career. In 2024, I was given the title of Stunt Designer for my work on The Fall Guy. This is the first time this title has been given on a film. I have been in the film business for almost 30 years, and I continue to learn and enjoy my job every day. I’m still in the South Bay after 30 years, living in Manhattan Beach with my wife of 24 years and our three children.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been very fortunate in my career. My six-foot-tall gymnastics background set me apart and accelerated the process. However, the movie business is not the norm, and I sometimes have no idea what my next job will be, which can be difficult to process. The past couple of years have shown that we need to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. The pandemic, SAG strike, and the threat of an IATSE/Teamsters strike have all hit the business hard.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a husband, father, stuntman, stunt coordinator, stunt designer, and 2nd unit director. In 2024, I was given the title of stunt designer for my work on The Fall Guy. Professionally, I think I’m most proud of my work on The Fall Guy and that I continue to grow as a filmmaker. Personally, I’m proud to say I’ve been married for 24 years, and I have three amazing children who are all thriving. One thing that sets me apart from others is that I truly strive to balance my personal life with my professional life. One thing I try to remember is that if the film business went away, you still have your family, so make sure they are always a priority.
How do you think about happiness?
My family and working with good people. When I’m away on location, the people you work with become your family, so work with good people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stuntsunlimited.com
- Instagram: @airaware1
- Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm0641233?s=dac9c9e2-061e-bbe2-0304-ae9df3c41f79&site_preference=normal
