In the March issue of Viking magazine, we talked with Hollywood stuntman and coordinator Alex Terzieff. Hailing from Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, he has worked on projects such as “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Thor,” “Twilight” and “Big Little Lies.” Terzieff is also a Sons of Norway member. Here’s more from the interview.
Q: What’s the most impressive stunt you’ve ever done?
A: My proudest stunt was probably a car wreck that I put together last year for “Big Little Lies.” There were three cars involved in this wreck, and we were shooting in the harbor of Monterey, Calif. It had to go perfectly. It was a very tight space and very high-speed. We shot it in one take, which we couldn’t believe!
Q: Have you ever been seriously hurt while performing a stunt?
A: I’ve bruised my ribs and twisted my ankles, but I haven’t broken anything.
Q: What advice would you share with others who are trying to get into the movie business?
A: It’s very difficult. It took me 10 years to gain any traction after all my training because it’s such a global industry. A person has to be prepared for the long haul and not expect success right away. Funny enough, I got to be part of “Thor” because I wrote the stunt coordinator an email that said, “You need at least one half-breed Norwegian on that movie or it’s not legitimate.” He hired me!