Tom Hiddleston's "Loki" Stunt-Double Paul Lacovara Discusses Working On THE AVENGERS

Stuntman Paul Lacovara has contributed his stunt performing expertise to films such as Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Green Hornet, and prominently Marvel's Thor; doubling for actor Tom Hiddleston. With "Loki" returning for The Avengers, so will Lacovara. And recently chatting with Italian media site Comicus, he elaborated on the experience working on the summer blockbuster, Loki's helmet and attire, director-writer Joss Whedon, potential challenges and of course all the action.

What were your feelings taking part of another movie from Marvel Studios, with such an important cast? What was it like working with Tom Hiddleston again? Does he ever ask you for advice before a scene?
"I felt very excited to get the call to work on another Marvel film. The fact that it was for The Avengers was a huge thrill! I knew I would be seeing many of the same producers and other crew from Thor and was looking forward to working with them again. Everyone was always so nice.
In terms of working with the entire cast of Avengers; it was a great experience. Most of them came into rehearsals for fight training and were really open and down to earth. --Just a group of really good people.
Working with Tom again was great! We had a fantastic time on Thor and to get to work together again on The Avengers was dream. I think we solidified our friendship which helped us evolve our cohesiveness as a team professionally. We really work well together to help "Loki" be his best."

"I don't know if Tom asks me for advice, per say. Tom really knows his stuff and comes prepared. There are instances however when we are doing a stunt and he may ask the best way to land after flying through the air, so as to not injure himself or so he's able to continue fighting etc. Not only is Tom a good actor but he is a hell of a stuntman! He's always ready to throw down and once you show him something, he's got it and nails it."



How did you prepare for this film? You follow any particular training before this kind of movie?
"I've studied martial arts off and on since I was a boy, which definitely helps me for a movie such as this, but when I got the call for this film, I found out what we had coming up and really started training with one weapon in particular. I'd say which one it is, but don't want to give any hints as to how badass Loki really is or say anything I'm not supposed to. Perhaps more will be revealed through upcoming trailers. We also had quite a bit of rehearsal time for our fights and Tom was there kicking ass, day in and day out."

What can you tell us about the director, Joss Whedon, and the rest of the crew?
"Joss was great. He really new how to direct the action and get the best out of us. John Mahaffie, the second unit director, with whom I had quite a bit of interaction was amazing too. --Very energetic and is a true vet when it comes to shooting great action sequences. The producers were always very complimentary and the crew in general was just a good group of people. This was the first time I had the opportunity to work for R.A. Rondell, the stunt coordinator, and have nothing but nice things to say about the guy. He is one of the safest coordinators I have worked with and always kept his cool under pressure. I wish there were more like him!"

What was the hardest challenge for you during this movie? We saw many pictures from the shootings in Cleveland during the last months, and for many they were quite impressive. What are the differences between the making of this movie and Thor?
"I think the biggest challenge for many on this film was how busy we were. There are so many stunts! And not just single stunts here and there, but rather, huge action sequences! There was no time for rest of recovery. It was always go, go, go! We were slammed starting with pre-production training and rehearsals 'til the very end.
The biggest difference between Thor and The Avengers, was simply us being more exposed to the public. On Thor, we were mainly on stage and the locations we did have were so secluded that there was no one around for miles and miles. I think I did see one picture of Thor's base camp while we were in New Mexico, but that was it. On Avengers, well, we all know how that turned out! Hundreds and hundreds of photos and videos! There was really a vast amount of exposure, which I think is a good thing. It gets people pumped up to see the movie and they want to see how it all fits into the big picture, so to speak. In fact, there was one sequence where we literally blew up and entire street which was full of cars, buildings and people. After the explosions went off and the director yelled cut, there was this huge roar from at least a thousand onlookers applauding and cheering! It was actually kind of cool."



I guess you got to wear Loki costume and helmet during the movie. Was it hard for you to move around or you got used to it? How do you manage it?
"Ah yes, the Loki costume and helmet; such a joy! I tell you what, I will wear that thing everyday because I love the character and the work, but the wardrobe itself, wasn't the most pleasant. It weighed about 35 pounds or so and was quite restricting with the armor applied. It was handy however to have that armor when crashing to the ground. I couldn't always fit pads underneath the wardrobe, so to have it built in was nice. The helmet was a something else as well. It took a little adapting because the horns are so pronounced, but once we figured out how to move and fight with it, we were ready to rock."

Have you and Hiddleston ever talked about Thor 2?
"We have talked about Thor 2 quite a bit actually! But that's all I can say!"

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Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on November 15, 2013.

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