[Paul Orr trains at stunt school]
Sunday, January 1, 2006
Believe it or not, being swallowed in flames at stunt school feels a lot colder than it sounds—or appears in this unaltered photograph.
“All I was thinking was ‘It’s freezing,’” says Paul Orr, who attended the United Stuntmen’s Association’s International Stunt School near Seattle last fall. “Before they light you, you have to strip down to your underwear while they soak all your clothes in ‘fire gel.’ It’s like thickened water, and it is really cold.”
At 27, Orr serves as communications director for the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, but he’s also pursuing a career in filmmaking. After landing a walk-on part as a policeman in The Dukes of Hazzard, he thought learning stunt skills would add to his appeal as a character actor.
During the three-week course, Orr practiced movie fighting, harness and wirework, precision driving, repelling, and “suicide” free falls from 40 feet. One afternoon he was lifted from the ground and hurled backward by an air-ratchet to simulate the effects of a massive explosion on a bystander.
“I was always impressed with the stunts in the James Bond movies as a kid,” Orr says. “It’s a good skill to have as an actor.”
Currently, Orr is getting rough as a henchman in Road House 2: Last Call.
Comments
Posted by malbat77 on March 21, 2006 at 11:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Paul Orr is a Super Man. Great to work with and an excellent person all around.
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