384. Jeff Imada on stunts, martial arts, and the AAPI experience
Jeff Imada began his journey in the stunt world in the 1970s— a time when stunts were performed without CGI and relied heavily on the physical prowess and creativity of the performers. Jeff shares fascinating anecdotes about the risks taken, the camaraderie among stunt performers, and the evolution of film. He also shares his vision and experience as a fight stunt coordinator on the Bourne Series. Jeff’s story is also one of personal resilience and cultural pride. Growing up in California, he faced his share of challenges and discrimination. However, these experiences also shaped his identity and fueled his passion for his craft and martial arts. It was such an honor meeting Jeff and grateful to him for setting up our interview at the historic Inosanto Academy in Los Angeles. I’ve been enjoying these conversations and hope you have too. If you have, please rate my podcast on your platform of choice and share it with others! If you would like to support with a donation to help keep this podcast going and support my work, you can become a patron of the show by visiting my website or http://Patreon.com/sifumimichan. For comments or suggestions reach out on social media @sifumimichan. Discussed in this episode: Bourne Series Inosanto Academy About Jeff Imada Jeff Imada (born June 17, 1955) is an American martial artist, stuntman, and actor. He has performed stunts in over 100 films and television programs and authored one of the first books published in the US about the balisong. Jeff Imada is trained in Jeet Kune Do, Eskrima, Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu, Kendo, Systema and Boxing. Jeff Imada has been the technical advisor on numerous films, including Dutch (1991), Tango & Cash (1989), Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986),