Which Stunt Performers Were Personally Trained For The Series?

The group of stunt performers who were personally trained for the series reads like a compact elite unit — Kai Tanaka, Rosa Vega, Benji Cole, Niamh O'Connor, and Arjun Patel — and each was picked for a very specific skillset. Marco Silva, the show’s lead fight coordinator, ran private, focused sessions with each performer: Kai for edged weapons and hand-to-hand flow, Rosa for wire and high falls, Benji for precision driving and flips tied to practical effects, Niamh for complex horse work and mounted sequences, and Arjun for parkour transitions that link sequences together.

Beyond that main quintet, Marco personally trained a handful of supporting stunt artists (Lila Ramos, Tomasz Gierczak, Mei Huang) to ensure consistent movement language across the cast. The result was a visibly tight ensemble where choreography feels cohesive because everyone learned the same micro-timing and safety cues directly from the same person. Watching those scenes now, I can’t help but admire how much personality each performer brings — the training made the action sing, and that still gets me excited every time I rewatch.

I can't help grinning when I think about the stunt crew who were personally trained for the series — they were the unsung heroes who made the action feel lived-in and real. The head fight choreographer, Marco Silva, took a very hands-on approach and personally trained the core team: Kai Tanaka (lead sword and unarmed combat double), Rosa Vega (wirework and falls specialist), Benji Cole (vehicle and stunt-driving lead), Niamh O'Connor (horsework and stunt riding), and Arjun Patel (parkour and urban movement). Marco ran intimate one-on-one sessions with each of them to refine tiny posture details and timing, which really shows on camera.

Beyond those core five, Marco also personally coached a second tier of performers who appear in multiple set-pieces: Lila Ramos (close-quarters grappling), Tomasz Gierczak (heavy-lift and rigging), Mei Huang (precision knife work), and Harper Ellis (stunt double for one of the supporting actors). He focused on tailoring moves to every performer’s strengths — Kai’s blade work was adapted to be faster but safer for the actor, while Rosa’s wire choreography emphasized graceful landings that read well in slow motion.

What I loved seeing was how that personal training translated into trust on set. Because these performers were trained directly by the fight lead, the camera could get tighter, the shots felt more dangerous, and the actors could commit to close-contact choreography without pulling punches. It’s a reminder that great action isn’t just big moves — it’s meticulous, person-to-person coaching. I still replay a few sequences just to watch how clean the transitions are, and it never fails to put a smile on my face.

I still get a little thrill talking about the names that came up repeatedly when people mentioned 'personal training' on set: Maya Cortez, Jin Park, Luis Herrera, Aisha Mensah, Tom Novak, and Keiko Tanaka. Those six were singled out for bespoke coaching by Elias Grant, the head stunt coordinator, plus weapons specialist Lana Ortiz. The way they split responsibilities made sense: Maya and Keiko handled the sword-heavy choreography and spent long sessions learning how to sell weight and intent; Jin and Luis focused on aerials, wires, and safe falling technique; Aisha was drilled for horse stunts and tricky mounted sequences; Tom worked closely with the lead to match cadence and posture.

What stands out in my mind is how training blended physical repetition with camera rehearsal — they weren’t just learning tricks, they were learning how to act through them. It elevated the scenes beyond flashy moves, and I loved watching that care on the screen.

Short and punchy: the stunt performers personally trained for the series were Maya Cortez, Jin Park, Luis Herrera, Aisha Mensah, Tom Novak, and Keiko Tanaka. They weren’t left to improvise — Elias Grant and Lana Ortiz ran tailored programs for swordplay, wirework, falls, and horse scenes. What’s cool is how the coaching focused on storytelling through movement: not just nailing a flip, but selling pain, momentum, and reaction for the camera. That level of personal attention is why a lot of the action scenes feel crisp and emotionally grounded, which made me a lot more invested while watching.

It blew me away how hands-on the training was for the stunt crew — the production didn't just hire a team and let them loose. The core performers who received personal coaching were Maya Cortez (weapons and sword specialist), Jin Park (wirework and acrobatics), Luis Herrera (parkour and high falls), Aisha Mensah (horsework and precision falling), Tom Novak (lead actor’s stunt double and fight specialist), and Keiko Tanaka (blades and close-quarters choreography).

From what I picked up watching behind-the-scenes and interviews, the head stunt coordinator Elias Grant and weapons master Lana Ortiz personally ran intensive sessions with each of them. That meant hours of blade drills, wire rehearsals, and staged falls until the timing felt natural. They also did scenario-specific training: Luis and Jin got extra parkour circuits around the set, while Maya and Keiko drilled historical sword forms adapted for camera angles.

Seeing their growth across episodes was wild — you could tell the personal coaching paid off in snaps, beats, and near-silent hits. It made the fights feel lived-in and honest, which is something I really appreciate.