Tell about yourself and your background! *
Where to start? I grew up in a very small town in the hills of North Carolina with nothing but a post office, a school, and a few churches around. My two brothers and I were raised in a small house by our amazing mother who was a single mother throughout most of our childhood. My parents split when I was around the age of seven. My father had become an abusive spouse as well as an alcoholic and a drug addict following some difficult experiences that he had faced during his service in the military during Operation Desert Storm, After trying so hard for so long, my mother decided that we would be better off without him and filed for divorce. That, of course, presented its own list of challenges. Growing up in a broken home is very hard on the children but even until this day I truly believe that my mother did what was best for us.
Trusting in my mothers single income and no child support money whatsoever for the three of us was extremely hard on her, sometimes working 2-3 jobs at a time to make sure not only that our needs were met, but that we were allowed to partake in the things that we loved to do. Both my older and younger brothers were into "regular" sports i.e. baseball, football, soccer, and the like. But I, however, being the middle child that I am was into more exciting things. I was absolutely enthralled by martial arts and although it was significantly more expensive than standard school sports, my amazing mother was able to make sure that I could pursue this passion. So around the age of eight, I enrolled into a traditional Isshinryu Karate school under Sensei Eric Latza.
I learned so much from Sensei Latza, and he immediately saw potential in me. My very first belt test I had progressed so quickly that I was able to skip 5 of the basic belt levels and earned a place in the advanced class. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, after my 4 year experience at my first school, I had to move to a second school where I met some of the most amazing people and cemented some of the strongest friendships that I have ever made. I trained under Sensei Brandon Vaughn with Karate International from the age of 12 all the way to the age of 18 when I graduated High School and headed of to Basic Training for the US Army.
My family has a history of military service, with many of my family members serving since WW2. My older brother went into the Army National Guard two years prior, and so, following his example. I did the same. I graduated Basic Training and US Army Combat Medic School in 2013, and served in the National Guard for 6 years, where I was able to help provide medical support for soldiers on several pre-deployment training exercises as well as provide medical support during times of natural disasters when hurricanes swept across the nation. Straight out of Medic School I began to attend college at Appalachian State University on a full ride scholarship.
The first semester of college went very well and I met some great people and had great experiences. At the beginning of the second semester my life began to take a turn. I was faced with a series of catastrophic events that would eventually lead me into a deep depression. My father had learned where I was attending college and decided that he wanted to try and "reconnect" although he had not yet fixed his issues. Needless to say he tracked me down to my dorm on campus and showed up on a drunken rant embarrassing me in front of the entire dorm and almost getting me kicked out. I had been weakened by this encounter on top of everything else going on in my life at the time and I began to fall into alcoholism despite what I had learned from my father's past. This was the darkest period of my entire life. I started losing sleep, flunking out of my classes, being put on academic probation, and ultimately losing my scholarship. I felt so alone and defeated for the first time in my life. Buckling under the mental and financial pressure I dropped out of college.
The past 6 years have been a humbling experience of repair and realization. I have managed to pull myself out of the depressive state that was in, I've found a stable job that pays well enough, and things are looking up. However, I still find myself lacking the sense of fulfillment and love for what I do in my day-to-day 9-5 job. About two years ago I absolutely fell in love with the idea of becoming a stunt performer, and after thinking to myself "it's never too late" I began to research. I found the International Stunt School in Seattle WA. Since I had absolutely no prior connections to the film industry I deduced that this would be a great way to get in and make some connections. Then came the cost. I tried for a year to save up what little money I could and it just wasn't enough. Then I met a beautiful woman, Byanca Villalobos, whom I fell in love with.
Byanca was always so supportive from the beginning. She was adamant about me fulfilling my dreams and offered to help me pay for my school. Little did I know that she would later become my wife. I was finally able to attend the International Stunt School this year (2021) and I am beyond grateful for all the love and support from all of the instructors and students that I met there. It still amazes me to see how quickly strong bonds can be formed between like minded people. In just a month I gained so much knowledge and experiences on top of friendships that will last a lifetime. Myself and the alumni of the ISS class 2021 still keep in touch almost daily. I am truly beyond grateful for such an amazing experience. In the past year I have been able to get married, go to the International Stunt School, and even have my first child! At the time of writing this, our little Mileena is 3 months old. My dreams have been renewed and I am excited for the future. I'm just trying to keep the ball rolling to prove to myself, my family, and most importantly to my little girl that you don't have to settle for mediocrity. Chase your dreams, make something of yourself, and most importantly, enjoy the journey!
What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
My love for martial arts and action movies inspired me to become a stunt performer. I have never been a front and center type person, so I love the idea of being the unsung hero behind all the movie magic. Being able to safely perform stunts while making sure the action looks realistic and protecting the actor from potential injury is so fascinating to me. My biggest dream is to be involved in a Star Wars property somehow, whether it be doubling for a main actor or a Stormtrooper falling off a bridge to the Wilhelm scream in the background.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a stunt behind it?
The ability to adapt and overcome and persistence. Although I am relatively new to the stunt performer scene, I am willing to do whatever it takes to reach my goals, and become a full-time stunt performer.
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
Being part of the mystery behind the magic. Having outstanding performances that sell the action for the film.
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
I hope to have many more to come, but my current favorite stunt that I have performed was my first fire burn!
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
Be persistent, but be safe. Know your limits, and slowly build up your skill set to increase your usefulness in the stunt industry.
Anything else you'd like to tell the community about?
I am available for work in Atlanta and NC and I am looking forward to working with each and every one of you!
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
www.facebook.com/darren.brown.12139862/
https://www.instagram.com/darren.spike.brown_stunts/
Please include any links to stunt reels or videos you'd like to share!
