For those who handed Andrew Comrie-Picard on the highway in his residence metropolis of Los Angeles, you’d by no means guess his odometer continuously ideas above 100 mph. “I drive actually gradual on regular roads,” says the rally racer turned stunt driver, “and I’m at all times the individual to let another person merge in. I don’t should drive quick as a result of I get my stimulation elsewhere.”
By elsewhere, Comrie-Picard is referring to the locations his profession as knowledgeable driver has taken him — pace competitions, off-road driving, units for giant motion movies, and even the North Pole. We chatted with Comrie-Picard to be taught extra about how he made a reputation for himself on the earth of stunt driving and racing.
A Day within the Driver’s Seat
A self-described cognitive load junkie, Comrie-Picard loves displaying as much as a job the place day by day is completely different. “I like challenges, and I really like performing within the second,” he says. “That’s precisely what I get from racing and stunts.”
When he exhibits as much as set, Comrie-Picard hardly ever is aware of what to anticipate. “My life is ruled by the decision sheet, which frequently doesn’t get circulated till the evening earlier than the shoot,” he says. “So I present up and the producers say, ‘Oh you’re enjoying cop quantity three or unhealthy man primary.’” Hours later, Comrie-Picard walks out of hair and make-up after buying and selling his beard for faux tattoos.
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Surprisingly, many stunt scenes are created equally. “A lot of the artistic course of occurs within the second with the stunt coordinator,” says Comrie-Picard. “We work out a scene with Sizzling Wheels automobiles and a few chalk on set.” A few hours and a slow-speed drive via or two later, the director calls “motion,” and Comrie-Picard hits the gasoline.
Between scenes, Comrie-Picard admits, there’s a variety of ready. “It’s like hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror,” he laughs. “I’d think about it’s what an Olympic athlete seems like earlier than the 100-meter sprint. You’re ready, generally for days, and you then carry out for 15 seconds.”
However the thrill of these 15 seconds retains Comrie-Picard hooked — like when he drove on the set of Atomic Blonde. “We had a dual-control automotive, so I’m within the again seat dressed like a ninja driving the automotive whereas Charlize Theron is driving on digicam,” he remembers. “She’s a badass and simply rolled with it, whereas I’m doing 180s and J-turns and telling her when to show the steering wheel to make it look life like. These are the most effective days in my workplace.”
Constructing an Epic Profession Path
So, precisely how does one turn into a backseat stunt driver for Charlize Theron? For Comrie-Picard, his skilled driving profession began with racing. “The core of my work has been in automotive racing, particularly rally and off-road,” he says.
After 20 years as knowledgeable rally racer, with some massive wins below his belt, Comrie-Picard landed a gig internet hosting TV exhibits about automobiles. “I may drive, and I’ve a technical automotive background, so I used to be the proper match,” he says.
As soon as he relocated to Los Angeles to immerse himself within the leisure trade, Comrie-Picard started choosing up gigs as a stunt driver, and people alternatives continued to construct on one another. Comrie-Picard has labored on big-name movie franchises, together with Deadpool and Quick and Livid, in addition to American Ninja Warrior. “As a result of I adopted my passions, I’ve ended up with a portfolio of actions that I actually love,” says Comrie-Picard.
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The Subsequent Huge Stunt
In recent times, Comrie-Picard has targeted much less on racing in favor of spending time on his newest pursuit — the Transglobal Automobile Expedition. “About 14 or 15 years in the past, I began pondering, ‘What’s the toughest factor I may do with a automobile?’” says Comrie-Picard. “Now we’ve practically accomplished a multi-stage circumnavigation of the globe by automotive.”
The journey kicked off in New York in January 2024. From there, Comrie-Picard and his staff pioneered a route a wheeled automobile had by no means pushed earlier than — heading north into Canada, throughout the Arctic Tundra, traversing the coastal shelf of North America, and driving over ocean ice to the North Pole. After navigating throughout Europe, Africa, and South America, the crew accomplished their journey, returning to New York in April.
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“What I’ve been loving about this expedition is that you should have broad abilities,” Comrie-Picard says. “On a giant movie set, completely different crews are liable for each facet, however on an expedition, it’s all arms on deck, and all people does each job.”
Even amid all of the exhausting work, Comrie-Picard says he nonetheless has moments of awe on the issues he and his crew have completed.
“I’ll always remember a dialog I had after I first determined to commit myself to racing full-time,” he says. “Once I advised my buddy, he stated, ‘Effectively, that’s nice information,’ and I stated, ‘How is it nice information? There’s just one different man who makes cash doing this,’ and he replied, ‘Why wouldn’t or not it’s you?’”
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