From the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to a galaxy far, far away
Paul Darnell didn’t need the force to reach his dream. His focus in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences determined his reality as a stunt performer.
Paul Darnell (at right) with his wife, Melanie, at the Emmy Awards. Paul and Melanie Darnell met at Virginia Tech as members of the gymnastics team. Photo courtesy of Paul Darnell.
By Max Esterhuizen
It was easy to see why Grogu, from Star Wars’ "The Mandalorian," became a sensation for Paul Darnell ’05, a longtime stuntman. On the set, the little creature that was the same unnamed species as Yoda was more than just real – it was extremely cute.
“People on the set couldn’t get enough of Grogu,” said Darnell, a graduate of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “You knew that John Favreau, the show’s creator, made something special.”
Darnell received an Emmy for Outstanding Stunt Performance during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards Jan. 6-7 for his work in "The Mandalorian" “Chapter 24: The Return.”
“It's an honor to be recognized for the work that you do,” Darnell said. “Winning the award is like getting a pat on the back for a job well done. It feels nice.”
Darnell’s friend was hired to coordinate a new show called "The Mandalorian" and was told it would focus on a bounty hunter like the infamous Boba Fett. Because most of the characters wear masks, it's also a fantastic opportunity for a stunt performer to play multiple characters on set.
And he had the opportunity to do just that in the Emmy-winning scene. Darnell played two “super storm troopers,” both of which Mando heroically vanquished in a choreographed right in a hallway surrounded by red lasers.
It takes an entire crew to bring this scene to life with ample preparation – and multiple takes.
“To put an action scene together a lot of rehearsal goes into place,” Darnell said. “Everyone knows their spot and action. You are dressed in your wardrobe and wait in a holding area as the lighting is set up and cameras are placed. You are called to set and do a walk through to show camera movements. Take any notes from the coordinator or director and then they call action, and the battle begins.”
What further complicates that kind of scene is also what allowed Darnell and the other stunt performers to play multiple roles – intricate armor.
“Most of the costumes you wear have layers of armor which make it difficult to move and helmets with poor visibility,” he said. “It's important to trust the team of stunt performers you are working with who understand those limitations and can adapt as needed. On this show, our coordinator JJ Dashnaw put together an incredible team of performers who knew how to get the job done.”
As a graduate of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise and a former member of Virginia Tech’s gymnastics team, Darnell laid a solid foundation for a career that started when he saw his first Jackie Chan movie.
“I was told I should go to college as a ‘just in case’ deal,” Darnell said. “I'm very glad I did. I met some amazing friends, made some epic memories, and met my wife, Melanie.”
But his first stunt? Jumping off his parents' 13-foot roof.
“Now people pay me to jump around and do parkour and stunts,” he said. “It really is my dream job. I'm very happy I found what I'm passionate about and discovered a way to make a living from it.”
While this was Darnell’s first appearance in the Star Wars universe, he’s no stranger to large franchises. He has also appeared in the “Twilight” series as Robert Pattinson’s high-flying vampire double and “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan,” when he was Adam Sandler’s Krav Maga counterpart. He was also in “Captain America: The First Avenger.”