From death-defying falls off London Bridge to whipping a character into the next dimension in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stunt performers and action actors Lauren Okadigbo and Ayesha Hussain have been part of crafting such iconic sequences. Alongside cinematographer Fabian Wagner (Game of Thrones) and director Jade Ang Jackman, they will demystify the art of assembling striking stunts in this action-packed illustrated lecture. The first half will work as an introduction to how each got into their respective careers and then transition into a movement workshop on shooting action.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
Lauren Okadigbo is a Finnish-Nigerian action actress with 10 years of experience as a professional stunt woman. She has appeared in films such as Black Widow, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Star Wars and her stunt career ranges from TV shows like Rings of Power Season 2, West World and Black Mirror to films like Fast and Furious, Dune, Uncharted, Ready Player One by Steven Spielberg amongst many others. One of Lauren’s career highlights includes the privilege to have stunt doubled Halle Berry on Netflix’s The Union. In September, she will be leading on her debut feature film as an actor which begins shooting in Montana, USA.
As one of the first stunt performers of South Asian/MENA heritage, Ayesha Hussain has taken the action world by storm. Not only has she appeared in titles such as Gladiator II and Dr Who, but she became the first South Asian X-man when she played Psylocke in the latest Deadpool & Wolverine. Outside of film and acting, her skills have been sought out by other echelons of the creative industries; she’s thrown knives at Harry Styles, graced the Miu Miu runway with her sword, and performed martial arts throughout the halls of the Victoria & Albert for a piece for the Venice Biennale. Due to her unique perspective across multiple industries, she has been invited to speak on panels for the British Film Institute, Soho House, L’Oreal and interviewed by the BBC and Vogue India. She is the co-founder of Babes with Blades – a film collective celebrating the action genre.
Fabian Wagner (BSC) was born in Munich and fell in love with movies at a very early age. Having not inherited any painterly talent from his very talented artist father but sharing a passion for visuals, his interest quickly turned to photography and, eventually, cinematography. He loves being on set and working with people all over the world, shooting films like Zack Snyder‘s Justice League and Venom to TV shows like The Crown, Game of Thrones, and Sherlock. He has received two Creative Arts Emmy Awards nominations and was one of the youngest members of the British Society of Cinematographers. For the last 13 years, Fabian has also been running First Steps Cinematography, an initiative that strives to improve diversity and equality in the film industry.
Jade Ang Jackman is an award-winning London-based director and writer; hallmarks of Jackman’s work are a passion for speed, stunts, and centering women’s voices. Since launching a project on gender fluidity with Gucci at Sundance in 2020, her focus has continually been on projects about gender and movement. Since 2021, this has led her to collaborations with several Olympic / paralympic athletes, UEFA, Channel 4, Canon, Standard Hotels, Royal Enfield, and British Vogue. As a commercial director, she has been represented by Ridley Scott Associates and Sir Steve McQueen’s Lammas Park. She is the co-founder of Babes with Blades – a film collective celebrating the action genre.
This event is supported as part of Art of Action, a BFI FAN initiative supported through National Lottery. Art of Action is a new BFI season celebrating the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema.
