Tom Hardy’s Stuntman Jacob Tomuri Opens Up

There is an icy chill to the water in Wellington’s Oriental Bay at 7pm. For Jacob Tomuri, after long days filming high-octane fight action, a daring dip cleanses, rejuvenates and helps relieve the off-camera mental punches that can come with life as a globetrotting stunt performer and co-ordinator, Leena Tailor writes in a profile published in the Sunday Star-Times.

On-screen, the 42-year-old has gone head-to-head with Tom Hardy, raced through the Namibian desert battling Charlize Theron and dodged Leonardo DiCaprio, but the one big blow he never saw coming was the behind-the-scenes “sucker punch” of mental burnout, Tailor writes.

“It had been bubbling up and I didn’t even know. [Havoc] was full-on with a lot of weight on my shoulders, and the demands of hardcore fight action is tough,” Tomuri says.

Oriental Bay served as Tomuri’s icy therapy following 15-hour days on Avatar. He’s fresh from a post-work plunge while speaking with Stuff, nostalgically reflecting on the childhood haunts – rollerblading spots, karate classes – he passed on his run today.

Original article by Leena Tailor, Stuff, January 23, 2022.

Photo by David White.