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Benjamin Sanchez is a 21-year-old stunt performer born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.
What inspired you to become a stunt person?
I grew up watching lots of movies, especially Jackie Chan. I always found it very entertaining how he would do comedy fight scenes which had me amazed as a kid. Even know I still look up to his work. After high school I started taking martial arts classes (Krav Maga) and that was where the journey started without me knowing.
One of my instructors at the time was a stunt performer himself and told me some information about it. I decided to look into it more and it seemed like an awesome career path. The same instructor tells me about a stunt workshop with Lornell Stovall at JAM [http://joiningallmovement.com], so I signed up and went not knowing what to expect. I came out of JAM in love with what I just experienced. I went home and did more research about the industry.
I had another instructor give me some tips and pointers which eventually led me to the Stunt Performers Academy [http://stuntperformersacademy.com] taught by Banzai Vitale. After my course I was off to working my way up into the industry. It took me about a year to get my SAG Card doing background work full-time. Shortly after I managed to get my first Union stunt gig with Carl Ciarfalio doubling an actor.
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What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a story behind it?
Some of my best, strongest points as a performer would have to be high falls, wrecking, and fight choreography. Now it’s just a matter of getting my name out there even more and staying consistent with my training and hustling.
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
One of the best parts about being a stunt performer is the people you meet. I have met some very talented individuals in this industry, but on top of that, they are just wonderful people overall. I have met some friends that I can call family and can truly count on.
What advice would you give other stunt people?
The best advice I can give is to never give up on your dreams. We are hustlers and we are here to make 'ish' happen. Love you guys, keep hustling, stay safe and hope to see y’all on set.
