Lead Stunt Performer David Grant Interview: Jurassic World Dominion

Jurassic World Dominion has finally made its way home after 65 million years and is now available to own on 4K, Blu-ray, and digital. Fans of the Jurassic World trilogy will have a chance to not only watch their favorite dinosaurs and dino-lovers from the comforts of their own home, but they will also get to watch an extended edition with 14 minutes of additional footage.

That footage encompasses director Colin Trevorrow's vision for the final film (as of now) in the Jurassic Park franchise. It contains more in-depth character development for the legacy cast as well as backstory for the newcomers, but it also has a dose of extra dinosaur battles and human stunts. While Screen Rant was in Malta, we had the chance to experience one of those stunts firsthand: Claire Dearing's (Bryce Dallas Howard) escape from a raptor while on a rooftop in Valletta.

Lead stunt performer David Grant was on hand to show journalists the ropes, and Screen Rant had the opportunity to speak to him about working alongside actors such as Sam Neill, Chris Pratt, and Scott Haze. He also shared why Malta is the perfect filming location for an epic such as Jurassic World Dominion, and what his favorite moment from the film was.

Check out the finished stunt below, and read on to see Grant's responses:

Screen Rant: We're here with David Grant, stuntman extraordinaire. How does it feel to be in Malta celebrating a movie that was so successful, it could take you to Malta for its home release?

David Grant: It feels amazing. I mean, I love this island, and I think it's been a beautiful backdrop for the movie and some of the sequences that were done here. I'm loving the heat, even though I'm from England. I'm melting a little bit, but it's good to be back.

You doubled for Sam Neill and Scott Hayes in the film. As a stunt performer, how do you approach different characters? You're not necessarily the character, but in that moment, you have to be a different actor.

David Grant: I think you spend a bit of time and you get to know the actors, depending on what kind of role you need to fulfill for them. We had a lot of chase stuff with Scott, and we had a lot of fight sequences, when he was fighting with Chris Pratt. My role really is to help facilitate; help teach the guys the fight. You help getting them trained and up to speed and ready to perform.

They normally fight the other stunt doubles, and then we pair the actors together once they're ready and sort of good. And then my job is to step in. I watch Scott work, see if there's anything I need to mimic or match just to make sure that his performance is carried through me as well. And then it's the same thing when they're shooting over my shoulder. I try and make sure that it's what Scott wants. But Scott was a great actor, worked super hard, and was very capable.

Speaking of working with Chris Pratt, what kind of student is he? How quickly does he pick it up?

David Grant: He picks it up very quickly, and he's always a pleasure to be around. He always lightens up a room. The whole crew; everybody loves him. But he's good. He works hard, he gets the job done, and then sort of moves on. He's good; very professional and a pleasure to work with. As a stunt guy, he's a pleasure to work with.

This is not the first time that you have been on a project that filmed in Malta. I know you also did Game of Thrones in the early days. What is it about Malta that you think draws so many film and television shows?

David Grant: Yeah, I think that it's lovely. The architecture is amazing. It's got an incredible feel to it. The weather is beautiful. I mean, beautiful to be on a beach—maybe not working. I think it offers so much, Malta, and the Maltese people are lovely. I think it's a really cool location with incredible side streets and chases and rooftops. It's a great place to be.

Finally, what was your favorite sequence from the film, or favorite part that you worked on?

David Grant: I had a few parts, really. My favorite sequence from the film, I wasn't involved in. And that's the car chase sequence and everything else. But I really enjoyed doing the footwork with Chris Pratt and Scott. But the whole experience, the sets, the dinosaurs—everything about it was incredible.