With there being 23 films and over 100 characters in the MCU, fans will agree that there have been some amazing and talented workers on the sets. However, one particular group of workers that deserve a lot more recognition with the fans has to be those who worked on Guardians of the Galaxy.
Out of all the cast in the MCU, there will never be a group of people more dedicated than those who worked on this set. Not only were several actors who spent hours in the make-up chair painting themselves a different color, there were some who also risked their health to perform their own stunts. Wondering who? Take a look - some might come as a surprise.
Does Own Stunts: Michael Rooker - Yondu
Although he wasn't involved in the action as much as the other cast, Michael Rooker proved to be just as hardworking. Like many actors in the MCU, Rooker has actively participated in his own stunts. While talking about his role in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, he spoke about what acts he was involved in.
"We got these harnesses and cables, they hold thousands of pounds, so I'm not that heavy" Rooker once said. "But we're not doing any real stunt. I don't consider it stunts, you know. It's just part of the action we're going to be doing." It's not the first time he has got involved with his stunts. Sylvester Stallone once said that that he did some crazy things on the set of Cliffhanger.
Doesn't Risk It: Kurt Russell - Ego
First introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, fans finally met Peter Quill's manic and twisted father, Ego. Played by Kurt Russell, audiences were shocked to see the Celestial body emerged as the unsuspecting villain, especially when it was revealed that he had killed hundreds of his own children in an attempt to conquer the universe.
Since most of the action that involved Russell's character was created from CGI, there wasn't much need for a stunt double. However, that's not to say there wasn't one available on set. For Russell's character's stunts, John Casino and Todd Warren filled in when necessary.
Doesn't Risk It: Josh Brolin - Thanos
Despite being the central villain of Infinity War and Endgame, some fans may be surprised to discover that Brolin wasn't always involved in the making of the films. Although a stunt double wasn't needed (since Thanos is created from CGI), Brolin did have a stunt and body double to fill in for him while he was off filming Deadpool 2.
This meant that Greg Rementer and Keil Oakley Zepernick would often have to step into the Titan's shoes whenever a major stunt was needed. These two weren't exactly strangers to the MCU either, as Remeter had previously doubled for Chris Evans, Don Cheadle, and Sebastian Stan, while Zepernick performed several utility stunts.
Does Own Stunts: Karen Gillan - Nebula
If there is one actor in the MCU that deserved a lot more credit from the fans, it was Karen Gillan. Not only did she shave her head and spend hours in the make-up chair being painted blue, but Gillan also participated in a few of her own stunts. While the former Doctor Who star had admitted to relying on her stunt double on a few occasions, that doesn't mean she doesn't give it a good go.
In an interview with CinemaBlend, Gillan talked about how her clumsiness got her kicked off a stunt. "There was one stunt that was absolutely terrifying,[and pretty complicated]" she said. "[...] And so I tried a version of it, and all I could hear was laughter coming from the monitors. They had to put my stunt girl in and Zoe did it herself." Nevertheless, fans will agree that Gillan did a stellar job as Nebula.
Doesn't Risk It: Pom Klementieff - Mantis
Out of all the Guardians, fans will agree that Mantis is the least violent. When the audiences first met Mantis, she was hesitant to use her powers in front of the others, particularly since she was under the servitude of Ego. She would only use them when she believed Ego was becoming too neurotic.
However, audiences have seen that she is just as capable as her crewmates and can defend herself when need be. She had even been involved in a few battle sequences. But did Pom Klementieff perform her own stunts? While Klementieff has a background in boxing and Tae Kwon Do, she didn't get to showcase these skills. Rather, Boni Yanagisawa, Corrina Roshea, Tamiko Brownlee, and Kelly Bellini filled in for the major stunts.
Doesn't Risk It: Bradley Cooper - Rocket
Considering that he isn't 3ft, have whiskers, or look like a "rodent," it's safe to say that Bradley Cooper has only lent his voice to Rocket Raccoon. In fact, a stunt double wasn't necessarily required since Rocket's scenes would have also consisted of CGI. However, that doesn't mean fans should ignore the other members involved in the creation.
Some fans may not be aware of this, but James Gunn's brother, Sean, was involved in the films a lot more than many thought. Not only did he play Yondu's right-hand man, Kraglin, but he has also been the MoCap for Rocket the past six years.
Does Own Stunts: Zoe Saldana - Gamora
Zoe Saldana is another name on the list of actors who like to actively be involved in their work. Not only did she spend hours upon hours being painted green, but Saldana also has no qualms in trying to perform her own stunts.
"There is a jump I did. They made me jump from like three-stories or something, like a 30-ft drop," she had once said in an interview. "And I was on wires, [...] I jumped, and thought I was dying. And James Gunn was like, you are going to have to do that again. So I did." While Saldana has admitted to letting her stunt double do most of the work, she does take pride in the fact that she trained for her own fight sequences.
Doesn't Risk It: Dave Bautista - Drax
Since Bautista had a very successful career in the WWE, most fans had believed that he had performed the majority of his stunts. However, the wrestler had admitted that he prefers to use a stunt double for the more mainstream sequences.
"You know, sometimes I don't want to do my own stunts," he once said in an interview. "There was a part where they set my character on fire. And I was like stuntman, please. [...] I did my 10 years at WWE. I proved I am tough enough. I don't have anything to prove." To be fair, most people would have made the same decision.
Doesn't Risk It: Vin Diesel - Groot
Considering fans have seen him at a height between 10 inches to 5ft, it's safe to say that Vin Diesel didn't do any stunts during the filming of Guardians of the Galaxy. In fact, there was no need for a stunt double since Groot was a computer-generated image.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't any credit or respect to be shown. After all, there were a lot of other crew members involved in the creation. Krystian Godlewski wore a motion capture suit in the first film to create social cues. In the second one, Chris Townsend was responsible for creating the miniature Groot, and in the third, Terry Notary stepped in as the MoCap.
Does Own Stunts: Chris Pratt - Peter Quill/Star Lord
Since fans know that he likes to be an active participant in all of his movies, it wouldn't come as a surprise to learn that Chris Pratt also did his own stunts. However, Pratt also became injured while filming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2.
"There was one mishap [where] I got knocked out," he said during an interview with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. "[...While hanging 15 feet in the air] they accidentally did double the speed [in the drop and I] bounced my face off the mat." Luckily, Pratt wasn't severely injured and managed to get the stunt completed.