Hollywood’s most spectacular blockbusters are renowned and adored for their adrenaline-fuelled combat sequences, and with over 300 film and television credits under his belt, Paul Lacovara frequently provides the expertise behind these thrilling moments.
Paul, a 2025 Emmy-nominated stuntman, has served as a body double for some of Tinseltown’s most celebrated A-list performers and received recognition for Outstanding Stunt Performance at the Creative Arts Emmys for his contributions to ABC’s popular series The Rookie.
He has also contributed to beloved programmes including NCIS, Star Trek: Picard and Magnum PI.
Throughout his career, he has suffered everything from a fractured sternum and damaged larynx to a broken sacrum and ruptured ligaments, and he spoke exclusively to Reach publications about his most demanding assignments.
The stunt coordinator remembered one occasion when he sustained serious injuries during a combat sequence but “did not tell” the production team.
He explained: “[It] was during rehearsals on a major feature. I was working a fight scene where my opponent-a world champion in Tae Kwon Do-was supposed to kick me in the chest.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t pull it. He blasted me full-force, shin straight to the sternum.
“I heard a crack, saw a flash of white light, and dropped to my knees. X-rays later showed my sternum was spiderwebbed with fractures.
“But I didn’t tell production-I just took a few pain pills, leaned on some friends to cover certain moves, and kept going until it healed in time for shooting.”
However, this wasn’t his most challenging experience to date, as he revealed the most demanding stunt of his professional journey. He added: “The most difficult stunt I’ve ever had to perform was doubling Tom Hiddleston as Loki on The Avengers.
“It wasn’t just one stunt-it turned into multiple fight sequences that spanned weeks. I was on that film for about six months, with nearly three of those dedicated just to rehearsal.
“The training alone was grueling-eight hours a day of fights and wire work-but once cameras rolled it became even tougher, because we couldn’t hide crash mats.
“That meant day after day we were hitting concrete, cars, and walls with nothing to soften the impact.”
One particularly brutal three-week period tested his endurance to breaking point, both mentally and physically.
He explained: “On First Unit, I doubled Tom directly so his face could be seen during action. On Second Unit, I was Loki while Tom filmed elsewhere.
“Sometimes that meant repeating the same punishing action twice, just for different angles.
“During that time I fought Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man-and in every single fight, Loki was on the receiving end of the beating.
“That’s the challenge of doubling a superhero, or in this case a god: they don’t die. So while an ordinary human character might get knocked out or stay down, as a stunt performer you have to take these massive, bone-rattling hits over and over, take after take, and keep getting back up as if nothing happened.”
Nevertheless, despite the relentless physical punishment, Paul revealed it remains one of the aspects he adores most about his profession. “That’s what makes it so demanding-but also why I love the job,” he concluded.
“As stunt performers, we accept that punishment because we get to bring these extraordinary characters to life, which continually pushes our own limits.
“No matter how hard it gets, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”