Episode 55 - Tara Macken

Episode 55 - Tara Macken

Author: Ben Johnson June 29, 2020 Duration: 1:04:16

The key to success in the stunt world, says Hollywood action star Tara Macken, is to be an all-rounder. Tara's resume is testament to that philosophy. Raised in the jungles of Borneo, Tara's adventurous spirit started at a young age. It has remained with her throughout her professional career, where she has found work as a dancer, gymnast, model, actor and stunt performer with over 100 films and TV credits to her name. She is a leading name in the action community, known for her fighting and martial arts skills, and doubling huge movie stars like Tessa Thompson, Rosie Perez and Eva Longoria. An incredibly versatile performer, Tara moves between stunt work on hit TV shows like 'Westworld' and films including 'The Hunger Games', 'John Wick: Chapter 3', 'Birds of Prey' and the new 'Mortal Kombat' film, to playing Bugs Bunny in a sequel to 'Space Jam', and stepping behind the camera to work as a stunt coordinator, fight choreographer and trainer. She now has her eyes set on joining the rising number of female stunt coordinators operating in Hollywood, following a path set by her friends and colleagues Zoë Bell and Heidi Moneymaker, determined to redress the balance in the industry and eventually move into main unit directing. In an already long list of amazing achievements, we can't wait to see what Tara will accomplish next. This conversation was recorded in London prior to the UK government lockdown caused by the coronavirus.


LINKS

Tara Macken on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2706388/

Tara Macken on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taramacken/

Tara Macken on Twitter: https://twitter.com/taramacken

Tara Macken on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tara.macken

Tara Macken fight choreography reel: https://youtu.be/bYX9ofsJras

Tara Macken fight reel: https://youtu.be/jjHaMBIjih0

'Intensive Care' trailer: https://youtu.be/tTJo_vfeGI8

'Intensive Care' review on Kung Fu Movie Guide: http://kungfumovieguide.com/intensive-care-2018/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


There's a particular magic in the stories behind the fights, the philosophy woven into the choreography, and the sheer dedication it takes to create martial arts cinema. The Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast is built on those stories, offering a backstage pass to the world of Hong Kong action, classic Shaw Brothers epics, and modern martial arts filmmaking. Host Ben Johnson, who created the extensive kungfumovieguide.com resource, sits down for detailed conversations with the very people who bring these films to life. Each episode features an unscripted, in-depth interview with actors who threw the punches, stunt performers who designed the falls, directors who framed the shots, and choreographers who turned violence into poetry. You'll hear about their career paths, the challenges on set, and the deep, personal passion that fuels their work. This isn't just a surface-level recap of famous movies; it's about the craft, the history, and the human effort behind every iconic scene. For anyone who has ever wondered about the artistry behind a perfectly executed fight sequence or the legacy of a genre that spans decades, this podcast provides a rich, engaging listen. Tune in for genuine insights from the heart of martial arts cinema.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Episode 78 - End of Year Show 2021 with Mike Fury: Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:29
Ho ho ho and happy holidays to all our listeners around the world. Welcome to the first part of our annual, end-of-year wrap-up podcast featuring the Life of Action author, Mike Fury. And, wow, what a year it has been fo…
Episode 77 - Kenji Tanigaki [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:12
What a year it has been for the stunt coordinator, fight choreographer and second unit director, Kenji Tanigaki. Not only did he craft the action on two more 'Rurouni Kenshin' films - called 'Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginni…
Episode 76 - Daniel Bernhardt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:45
Daniel Bernhardt is a true renaissance man; a martial artist from Switzerland who went from being a professional model in Paris to a Hollywood action star. In the 1990s, he was a leading man in low-budget martial arts fi…
Episode 75 - Lee Charles / James Nunn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:37
It has taken six years for director James Nunn to bring his one-take, real-time action movie to the screen. During that time, 'one-shot' movies like 'Birdman' and '1917' have not only dominated at the box office, but the…
Episode 74 - Brad Martin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:48
Brad Martin is one of Hollywood’s top stunt coordinators with a string of blockbusters to his name, including the 'Underworld' series, 'Live Free or Die Hard', 'Tropic Thunder', 'Gemini Man', plus the Emmy-nominated 2021…
Episode 73 - Max Huang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:04
Max Huang's turn as Kung Lao - the deadly, hat-throwing, Shaolin-trained kung fu cousin of Liu Kang - in the 2021 reboot of Mortal Kombat was a delightful surprise; a scene-stealing performance complete with comedy, dram…
Episode 72 - Cynthia Rothrock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:06
Cynthia Rothrock - the undisputed 'Queen of martial arts movies' - never anticipated a career as an action film star. The Scranton-raised martial artist initially headed west in search of furthering her kung fu knowledge…
Episode 71 - Philip Ng [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:19
When Philip Ng burst onto the scene in his 2014 leading-man debut, 'Once Upon a Time in Shanghai' - co-starring Sammo Hung and with fight choreography by Yuen Woo-ping - followed by his turn as Bruce Lee in the 2016 Holl…
Episode 70 - Brahim Chab [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:35
Over the last 15 years, French stunt performer and martial artist Brahim Chab has jumped, kicked and punched his way into the upper echelons of the fight film business. In 2021, he wrapped on 'Monkey Man' - the directori…
Episode 69 - Ron Van Clief [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:34
Martial arts legend Ron Van Clief never wanted to be a movie star. Known as the 'Black Dragon' - a name originally given to him by Bruce Lee and adopted as his screen persona in a series of Hong Kong kung fu movies in th…