Long Time Actor, Stunt Performer and Fight Coordinator Jeff Wolfe Talks His Directorial Debut OUTBREAK, Working With Sammo Hung and That Scene In DRIVE ...

From battling alongside Jet Li in Once Upon a Time in China and America, facing off with Jean-Claude Van Damme in Knock Off, battling The Rock in The Scorpion King, acting alongside Quentin Tarantino in Alias, taking a memorable elevator ride with Ryan Gosling, through Stunt Coordinating everything from the Rush Hour, Mcgyver and Revolution TV series, Jeff Wolfe has been making his mark on the industry both infront and behind the camera.  He's just made his feature Directorial Debut with the newly released Zombie thriller Outbreak and we picked his brains about the journey from humble beginnings through the mayhem and madness of martial arts movie making and more, to directing his first movie in the midst of an actors strike.

Mike: I was really impressed by your Feature Directorial Debut OUTBREAK, but before we discuss the film can we talk about the journey you’ve had over the years through martial arts, acting, stunts, stunt coordinating and so much more. How did this journey begin?

Jeff Wolfe: My youth was quite turbulent to say the least. I moved frequently and had numerous stepfathers, none of whom were ideal. That instability led me to living on and around the streets of the San Francisco Bay Area, where I sometimes found myself in a bit of trouble.

At around 13, I was placed on probation and sent to foster care by my probation officer who was also a Black Belt in Okinawan Jujitsu. As part of my probation, I had to attend jujitsu classes four times a week until I turned 18. I thought I was tough right up until I walked through those doors and discovered a whole new world.

And in a pretty cool full-circle twist, my wife and I are now the Godparents to that same probation officer's daughter, some 40 years later!

Mike: It’s a question I have to ask but how easy did you find it adapting real martial arts into reel martial arts and stuntwork?

Jeff: The Jujitsu I took for the first part of my Martial Arts journey was mainly comprised of police techniques they used to immobilize a threat. Great for practicality but I of course wanted to branch into flashier and what I assumed to be more “Film Friendly” styles so I got into Wushu as well as Tae Kwon Do, eventually going becoming an instructor in both of the latter arts. 

Being flexible was a huge help in standing out in stunt work... there always seemed to be a need for my axe kick! But what really made the difference at the end of the day was in fact my initial Jujitsu training. I was thrown and tossed about so often as a kid, I learned how to land safely over and over. That knowledge translated well when I was asked to do multiple takes of whatever action I was dealt in the moment!

Mike: What would you say that any would be action performer/stunt performer should be aware of when they first get a chance to perform on camera?

Jeff: I would say congratulations for being able to (insert some impressive move or stunt here) but now that you can do that, you need to bookend your skill with acting! So take an acting course please! I don’t care if you ever get a speaking role or if you don’t even want that for that matter. You need to be believable in whatever character you’re called upon to play, before you do the amazing stunt and after! Do this well and you’ll find yourself a huge commodity.

Once in a while I’ve been known to lead a course or two among some other excellent peers in the business. I always like to ask the participants of those classes to make up a fight scene based on an idea I relay to them in a scene from a movie. I want them to show me the character as well as the action!

Mike: Now you pop alongside everyone from Daniel Bernhardt, Ron Hall, Hee Il Cho, Nils Alan Stewart and a certain Chad Stahelski in Bloodsport 2 in Thailand, now how did it feel to be working on a Bloodsport sequel, were you a fan of the original? How was it also dealing with so many different martial artists etc,

Jeff: I was absolutely a fan of the original! I was 24 years old and this was the first time I’d been out of the States and it happened to be on a martial arts movie! So I was a kid in a proverbial candy store! Now of course being in a different country alongside many other very talented martial artists was something special to be a part of, though it didn’t come without it’s challenges!

There were a lot of twentysomething martial artists who were at the top of their game all vying for the spotlight. That said there were some bruised egos and temperaments that rubbed some the wrong way at times, me included.

Fortunately the ego clashes never went too far...

Mike: Do you find it funny to look back nearly 30 years to that shoot, and see how far Chad, yourself, Daniel etc have come and the journey you’ve all travelled? Do you think any of you had any idea you’d still be making a mark on movies today?

Jeff: It’s crazy to look back at three decades of work in this business! So many amazing interactions and opportunities we’ve had and continue to have.

As for Chad, he seemed to know even then what he wanted to do. I think we all imagined we’d still be doing it but Chad always seemed to be looking to the next level, which is why I believe in many ways he got there first. Personally, I’m grateful, because the success of my peers and friends only proves the viability of our competence. Fifteen years ago, if I said a stunt coordinator wanted to direct, I’d have been laughed out of a meeting. Today, the idea is starting to be embraced.

Mike: Now I’d seen you pop up in various stuff including Mercenary with Olivier Gruner and you told me about doubling him I think for the explosive ending stunt \and in movies like Champions with Louis Mandylor and Mars with Olvier again, you were jumping between roles in front and behind the camera a lot at that time, was it all part of the learning experience or were you trying to be more focused on one aspect than the other? What do you remember about some of those projects and those times?

Jeff: Those were the wild, unpredictable days of making low-budget martial arts films, where every day felt like a whirlwind. We were constantly being pulled in a dozen different directions. One minute, I’d be playing a role, doing a fight scene, and getting killed off, then the next, I’d be changing into a different costume to double the lead for a stunt!

I remember that story you’re referring to. It was on the set of Mercenary. I had just wrapped up a fight scene that led into a foot chase down a tunnel, which ended with a huge explosion. Afterward, they asked if I could throw on Olivier's clothes and jump out of a second-story window, while an explosion chased me from behind. I agreed, but only after being assured the special effects team would trigger the fire blast once I was safely out of the way.

Well, let’s just say my "safe distance" wasn’t quite the same as theirs. They hit the button a bit too early, and before I knew it, I was engulfed in flames as I jumped. I carried the fire all the way down to the landing pads.

When I stood up, with singed hair and a wicked sunburn to show for it, they told me it looked like our lead character might have been killed in that explosion. So they asked if I could do it again for a safety take before taking a precautionary trip to the hospital, I was a stuntman, after all. So, of course, my answer was yes!

Mike: But the first time I really got to know who you were, when you made quite an impression as thespin kicking version of Billy the Kid in the Tsui Hark produced, Sammo Hung directed Once Upon a Time in China and America, which saw Jet Li returning to the role of Wong Fei-hong. How did you get involved in the film, can you tell us about the audition process. (I remember you telling me how you dropped into the splits in front of Sammo, and he looked over to check you were really all the way down) and the filming experience itself;

Jeff: Absolutely! I’ll never forget the call from my good friend and manager, James Noon. He had discovered that the Sammo Hung was coming to Dallas, TX, in just a few days to audition actors for his next film, which would star Jet Li. I didn’t have the money for a plane ticket, but I knew I had to be there. James was all in and agreed to help me make it happen.

So, we jumped into his tiny Honda Civic and drove straight for 22 hours to Dallas! I got to the audition, where Sammo himself indeed leaned over and checked my splits—such a surreal moment! Afterward, we drove all the way back to Los Angeles.

The very next day, I got the call. I was cast as Billy the Kid, opposite Jet Li, and they wanted me back in two days to start filming. What a wild, unforgettable ride!

Mike: Were you a fan of Hong Kong martial arts cinema? How did it feel to be working with some of the biggest names, like Jet, Sammo, Tsui Hark and Rosamund Kwan etc. How did you find adapting to the Hong Kong style of choreography?

Jeff: Absolutely, I was! Hong Kong cinema was far ahead in terms of action. It could be beautifully choreographed, hilariously funny, or intensely brutal when needed. With legends like Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen leading the way, there was nothing else like it. Inspired by their work, I made it my mission to emulate them whenever possible.

Mike: Now you formed a friendship with Sammo on the movie, that would lead you onto working on his next project in Hong Kong, Knock Off and also working with again in America on Martial Law. How would you describe Sammo as a film-maker and your working relationship with him?

Jeff: Sammo Hung is an enigma. People often say, "Don't meet your heroes," and usually, I'd agree because they rarely live up to the hype. But Sammo is an exception. His mastery of storytelling, camera movement, and action choreography is unparalleled. And to top it off, he's a genuinely kind soul. It's truly extraordinary to witness all that talent in one person. Of course he wasn’t given anything. It was all worked for. 

I think that was the big truth I received from Sammo. Be everything you’re capable of because you might just get the chance to show it!

Mike: Now we met damn, more than a quarter of a century ago when you arrived in Hong Kong to shoot Tsui Hark’s Knock Off, which was going to be a very different movie at the beginning in terms of storyline and cast. (when you signed on was it still the “knock off’ jeans heavy script, with the fight in the underground caves in Macau etc) and originally you would have been facing off with Jet Li again. What happened and how did you find out about the changes? Had you already arrived in Hong Kong?

Jeff: I hadn’t heard of the changes until I landed in Hong Kong at which point everything seemed up in the air. It would have been a much different movie indeed but was a fun project to work on and I met some lifelong friends that I unfortunately do not see very often. And yes, it’s widely noted much of the action was missing from the final version which sadly affected the story making much sense.

Mike: Now you were here for about 5 months shooting Knock Off through the wild times of the Handover and also some crazy weather, and that is even before we get into some of the craziness of the shoot. How would you describe your time in Hong Kong, experiencing the handover, and shooting the movie?

Jeff: Well as you know I was there while the old airport was still operating so it was an exhilarating city to be in from the start considering the airplane was mere feet above the buildings on approach to what was then, Kai Tak Airport!! 

It was, up to that time, the longest I was on a film so to be in Hong Kong with new friends during such a momentous time was incredible to say the least! I still have fond memories of the harbor fireworks show (to this day, the best I have ever seen) and the party catered by Wolfgang Puck himself!  And when I had the craving for an American style burger, I could always count on my two partners in crime, Mr. Leeder and Mr. Mike Miller (who played Tickler/The Coughing Man in Knock Off) to join me at The Hard Rock!

Mike: Now your character Scar, was set up to be a much more prominent villain than the version we finally got, and there was a good amount of additional footage both drama and action wise shot for the movie with both you and Mike Miller who plays Tickler doing battle with Jean-Claude that never made it to the final film. (frustratingly you can catch glimpses at some of it in the making of Knock Off featurette). Was it frustrating to have been on the film working under some crazy conditions and putting in some hardcore effort, to see the roles get reduced or is it just part of the business?

Jeff: That turn of events was incredibly difficult for me. I was promised fifth billing behind Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lela Rochon, Paul Sorvino, and Rob Schneider. My character was supposed to have a much larger role, so I was quite disappointed when some higher-ups cut the film to pieces.

I remember receiving a very kind call from Tsui Hark himself, explaining that there were other "powers" beyond his control affecting the film. He assured me that the changes had nothing to do with the quality of my work. His kindness and professionalism meant a lot to me as a young actor, and I deeply appreciated it.

Mike: How would you describe working with Jean-Claude Van Damme? He can be a mercurial personality at times.

Jeff: Ha! That is indeed one way to put it. It’s so hard to tell what someone is going through in their life at any given moment, and I believe he was going through a lot at the time. That said, I hear he’s doing remarkably well and I only wish the best for him.

Mike: After Knock Off you returned to the States, how was it getting to work with Sammo again on Martial Law ? I always wish Martial Law had gotten a 3rd season at least and Sammo had been given more opportunity Stateside.

Jeff: Actually Sammo was here for some interviews around the possibility of directing some projects. He ended up staying with me for a time while taking meetings and in between those there was always time for some cooking and early morning golf! 

That visit turned into the TV series Martial Law at which point Mina joined him and they got a house here for a bit. It was so great having my mentor in the same city for a while! And was fun to act opposite him on the show.

That spinning back kick I took from him on Martial Law still may be the hardest I’ve ever been kicked... and I don’t think it was even half of what he had to give!

Mike: You were popping up in all manner of shows including The Pretender, VIP, you had a recurring role in City of Angels, and you turn up in the really cool 2 parter of ALIAS as part of Quentin Tarantino’s team of mercenaries. How did you find working with Quentin and that experience? (there’d always been rumors that Quentin had wanted to play the Billy the Kid role or the villain in Once Upon a Time in China and America, did you ever hear that?)

Jeff: At that point, I was teaching Wushu alongside Keith (Hirabayashi) Cooke in Brentwood and was auditioning as much as possible. Some of those shows were a lot of fun and that Alias 2 Parter stands out for sure! I was Quentin’s Muscle/Driver, so I spent a lot of time in the van just sitting and talking between takes with him. The guy is an encyclopedia of film. The internet has NOTHING on Quentin!

And yes the story is true. When I first met Quentin he looked at me strangely then said Jeff Wolfe... Jeff WOLFE! Once Upon A Time in China And America!! And he proceeded to tell me how he wanted to play that role so badly. It was pretty surreal.

Mike:  You were also doing a lot of stuntwork on projects like Scorpion King working with The Rock and Andy Cheng, Tuxedo, Daredevil, you double Thomas Ian Griffith on Time Cop 2, Hidalgo with Viggo Mortenson, Pirates of the Caribbean etc. Is it hard sometimes when you’re both an Actor and a Stunt Performer, does it offer more opportunity or is it sometimes a double edged sword where you got to get people to understand this show I’m an actor, this show I’m stunts?

Jeff: Being 6’4”, the opportunity to double actors was few and far between as they are usually quite smaller in stature, so playing parts became a necessity. That said, I initially sought to be the next Van Damme so I had taken acting classes alongside my martial arts training from a fairly early age culminating at the Actors Theater of San Francisco.

Acting has always been a lot of fun for me, and I didn't encounter any issues while working with the Hong Kong community. However, when I started working more in the States, things became a bit more challenging. Back then, there was a prevailing notion here that stuntmen couldn't act, so I had to present myself as an actor who dabbled in action. This approach ended up being the foundation of my career for quite some time.

Mike: You worked on the Punisher: War Zone as the main double for the late great Ray Stevenson and as one of the fight choreographers, how was that experience?

Jeff: Ray Stevenson was one of my favorite actors I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and I considered him a true friend. I remember when we first met, he approached me to discuss the character of the Punisher. It was important to him that we both understood we were embodying Frank Castle together—he would provide the voice, and I would handle the action. This collaborative approach was quite rare for an actor at the time, and I was very impressed with Ray. We became fast friends from that moment on.

I ended up doubling for him in movies like "The Book of Eli" and "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant," and later directed second unit as well as doubled him in films like "Kill the Irishman." No matter how busy we were, we always stayed in touch with a text or call every week or two. Before he passed, Ray was actually set to join my directorial debut, "OUTBREAK," but he called me excitedly to share that he had landed the lead role in a comedy—his first shot at that genre. Naturally, I had to support that decision.

He was riding high after finishing the Star Wars series and was so thrilled about it. I truly regret that he didn't get to see how warmly his character was embraced by the Star Wars fans.

Mike: Now one of your most high profile roles to a lot of people must be the Ryan Gosling DRIVE, where you get to be in a very brutal memorable sequence, now for that were you an actor, a stunt actor or an actor who performs action? How do they differentiate? When you were shooting that scene did you know it was going to be special?

Jeff: That movie was incredibly fun to work on, and it's probably the one I'm most recognized for, funny enough! I've been in different countries around the world, and people have come up to me out of the blue saying, "Hey, are you the guy in the elevator in DRIVE?" I’ve even heard that the sequence is used in film schools, which I never imagined would be such a big deal while shooting.

I remember auditioning for the part with no mention of any stunt work. After landing the role, I was told I needed to visit a creature effects shop for a head mold. When I asked why, they casually mentioned, "Oh, because we're going to stomp your face in!" Even then, I didn't realize how significant it would be until I saw the movie poster featuring the elevator shot. It was a great sequence and an even better memory.

Mike: You’re currently the (Much Deserved) President of the Stuntmen’s Association , how did you first get involved with the Stuntmen’s Association and how important is it to both the industry and the stunt performers, to have someone looking out for them, and how does it feel for you to have been recognized by the stunt community and given this position?

Jeff: Indeed, it is an absolute honor to be voted in for the third time as President of the Stuntmen's Association. As you know it's the largest stunt group in the states as well as the first, dating back to 1961! I was initially invited into the association about 25 years ago and sponsored by George Ruge of Pirates of the Caribbean fame as well as Conrad Palmisano also a multiple president of the organization and very well respected second unit director.

The Stuntmen's Association along with the other groups that later branched off from it were always meant to be a type of fraternal organization for the most respected stunt players. It means a great deal to be invited to join the ranks of such a group because you know when someone from the group is hired the production will be getting the cream of the crop! And in turn, as in any fraternal organization, we look out for each other.

Mike: Now you’ve been coordinating and 2nd Unit/Action unit directing on a lot of projects for both Film and TV including shows like Revolution where you ran the whole series yes? The Rush Hour TV series, the first few seasons of MacGyver and you were recently coordinating one of my favorite shows The Rookie: Feds.. How would you describe the job of a stunt coordinator and second unit director on shows like this, how do you run the action for a series, and is it something you feel has really served you well when it comes to directing?

Jeff: I initially made the jump to fight coordinator before we shot the pilot of Revolution about 13 years ago or so. In the three weeks leading up to shooting the pilot I basically went from fight coordinator to stunt coordinator to second unit director. It doesn't always happen that quickly but in this case, all the stars were aligned! I had happened to have shot a pre-viz of the biggest action sequence that was to be the finale and showed it to director Jon Favreau who was directing the pilot. I basically was showing him some ideas that I had to offer when it came time for him to shoot it. He watched the video turned to me and said I'm not shooting it, you are! Needless to say I was shocked and I am to this day very grateful to him for giving me the opportunity. That opened the door to my membership in the Directors Guild of America and the next decade or so of second unit directing!

From there the road wasn't so easy getting to an actual director spot! We shot Revolution for two seasons, and I was nominated for two Emmys, winning one but just couldn't get the go ahead from the studio to Direct an episode. The note I got was they understood I could shoot action, but could I actually shoot and get the tone of the scene? I understood they just assumed I was “only a stunt guy” (Whatever that means?!) and did not have the theatrical background that I had and so I would have to prove it to them.

I went out and made the award-winning short film Penance myself brought it back to them and they agreed to allow me to direct in the third season! Well as you might know the third season never happened because the show was cancelled.

Unfortunately, the same story was repeated a couple of years later the Rush Hour TV series when after only 13 episodes the show was cut! The string continued on with MacGyver and finally The Rookie:FEDS on which I finally directed half an episode covering for a known director who came down with Covid. That episode led them to agree to two episodes the following season but alas once again, last year they cancelled the show, and a second season didn't happen.

Which basically was the impetus for my amazing wife Jennifer to remind me that just like back in the day a decade ago when we scraped up the money and the resources and made Penance perhaps it was time to do my own feature myself! No one is going to do it for you and if you can't bet on yourself who can you bet on? So that's exactly what we did with OUTBREAK!

Mike: Now you’d directed some very impressive and well received short films, and an episode of the Fred Savage What Just Happened, but OUTBREAK sees you stepping up to direct your first full feature. Tell us about the evolution of the project, as its very much something you’ve been heavily involved in from being part of the script team, to lending your musical talents to the soundtrack.

Jeff: Outbreak was one of five titles I had been working on with my producing partner Kevin Matossian for the last five years basically being ready with multiple genres of films at multiple budget levels so that when funding came through we were ready to go with any one of these. Outbreak happened to be the one that made the most sense to do ourselves considering it took place in very few locations including some that we had existing through friends, and we were able to pull every favor imaginable to get it done correctly.

When my wife pushed the ball forward and said we need to make this movie ourselves we started gathering all of the talents we were able to including my good friend Billy Burke from Revolution. I had worked with Billy a decade ago for two years straight and knew he was absolutely perfect to play the lead character. Having such a friendship with my lead actor allowed for many nights on the phone back and forth discussing character and ideas for what would ultimately be Outbreak. Then the writers strike happened which allowed us to take lemons and make lemonade so to speak, as multiple actors became available to work on a project that was already written. My good friend Raoul Trujillo who was just off of the Blue Beetle movie joined us as well as Taylor Handley from Mayor of Kingstown and Jessica Francis Dukes of Ozark fame. The last piece of the puzzle was Alyshia Ochse who happened to be friends with my wife. I had seen her on True Detective and some other shows and knew she was the perfect fit to play opposite Billy.

Then all of the proverbial stars aligned such as getting production designer Eddie Yang who was one of the initial designers of the Iron Man suit for the first film, among many other things, as well as Bart Mixon who was known for his creature and special effects makeup on everything from IT to Guardians of the Galaxy! And I was able to score Cary Lalonde through a good friend as my DP after seeing his amazing work on Sam Hargrave’s Extraction.

As you mentioned I was even able to put a few of my songs from my band Wolfe Hybrid into the soundtrack which was a lot of fun... of course I also had some extremely talented musicians such as Richie Kotzen who happens to be a great friend, add a couple of songs to the mix as well!

We were running full speed ahead until about 8 days into our 20 day shoot when the Screen Actors Guild went on strike! I tried not to panic being that everything seemed to be on the line, and reached out to SAG in order to get an interim agreement so we could continue shooting. Unfortunately we did lose a day of filming while waiting to get the agreement but in the end we got the go ahead and were able to complete the movie! When I look back at shooting my first feature with friends averaging 50 to 65 setups a day on two cameras in 19 days, it not only seems incredible and obviously stressful but also one of the best times of my life! 

What a ride!

Mike: It’s an End of the world movie with a difference, at first glance the set up sends you in one direction and then as the movie progresses, you start seeing things from different angles and that things might not be quite what they seem. Was that a particular driving force for you as a Director, to take a new angle on things, to give it a twist?

Jeff: I watched a lot of horror movies before doing this, and I mean a hell of a lot... especially zombie movies. And while the slow lumbering zombie is fun, it takes a horde of them for them to be scary I realized. And a horde of zombie's means a lot of money, lol. Personally, I like the fast zombies better but even more so I enjoy people walking away from my films with something to think about as opposed to spoon feeding. I'm a big fan of pulling the rug out from under when it works and I enjoyed the opportunity to hopefully take the audience on a ride with this one.

I don't want to give away too much here, but hopefully your readers will watch and see what we we’re talking about!

Mike: How did you manage to pull it off, with the time, budget and resources you had? There’s some great stuntwork and action beats, but I like the fact its not just action action action, there’s a story being told and Billy Burke gives one hell of a performance as your lead?

Jeff: There were many late-night discussions between Billy and myself to get this right. Everybody basically already knows I can shoot action so the last thing I wanted to do was a full-bore action movie especially on a limited budget. Maybe someday down the road I'm sure when I have a studio behind me I can put my storytelling to use on a larger budget action film but this wasn't going to be that.

And the bottom line is, when your movie is finished it’s going to be compared to other movies that were made for literally 100 or more times what yours cost! So you have to be smart with the tools you have.

So instead, we wanted to rely more on the story and the journey you took with Billy's character. I have always been a fan of action matching the story. It's a pet peeve of mine when it's way over the top or doesn't make sense for the character. I think that really takes the audience out of the story and is a big problem in a film. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Of course, the zombies in this movie move differently than most but as we come to find out at the end of the story there's a reason for that!

Mike: What’s the reaction been to the film so far?

Jeff: It's been truly great so far! Though the film only had a small theatrical run here in the states, that's a lot more than most independent features seem to get, so I feel truly blessed having my first feature screen in theaters! The rentals and sales on all the usual outlets including Apple TV and Amazon prime are doing very well and we're even trending on new movies on Google! Pretty phenomenal considering no publicity budget lol! 

I was lucky to have been so oblivious to the fact that of most independent features, only about 10% of them get distribution! Had I known that I may not have gone for it lol! But we were picked up by Vertical Entertainment domestically and Premiere Entertainment worldwide and so far the partnerships have been phenomenal.

Mike: And what’s next for Jeff Wolfe as a Director, an Actor, a Musician, a Family Man? And are ever gonna be able to get you back out to Asia shooting something?Its been 227 years dude, we need to catch up!

Jeff: Absolutely! It's been far too long, my friend! I'd love to visit after 25 years, catch up with some good friends, and shoot a film in the very place that was so crucial in launching my career. Who knows? Maybe a production company will see "OUTBREAK" and decide to bring the gang back together again!