PODCAST: Jef Groff, Vin Diesel's Stunt Double (Driver) in Fast & Furious 8
Need someone to ride a motorbike, shoot a machine gun...on one wheel? Lawrence talks with stunt performer Jef Groff (Captain America: The First Avenger, Logan, Fast and Furious 8). Jef is one of the hardest working stunt performers in the business, and he’ll be the first to tell you that hard work is the very least you need to make it.
Racing motorcross at 8 years old (balance is a natural gift), Jef is a master of motorcycles and all things automotive. Jef discusses what it’s like to drive a brand new car through an operating Target department store, why it doesn’t matter if it’s a $200 bike or a $1 million bike, that you still need to perform, why you need confidence, skills and credits to make it in Hollywood, and how the original Point Break film is a major influence on the current regime of top stuntmen.
Jef shares his thoughts on the concept that there is indeed no "I" in team, how everyone involved has to be in sync for the stunt to go right, and the value the work that Stunt Performers do, because without them we don’t get movies like Furious 8 or Mad Max: Fury Road. Stunt Coordinators will always hire the best to push the limits and add to the brain trust of any good stunt team. Being the best at what you do and staying on the cutting edge means to constantly be evolving, always staying relevant, always bringing something to the table. Jef Groff is living proof that hard work and dedication pay off.
