BILLINGS — There’s a chance that you’ve already seen Adrian Hein on the big screen, but you just didn’t know it.
The Billings-based stuntman has worked on everything from Marvel movies to zombie films and MTN recently got a sneak peek into his life as a successful stunt performer.
“My first stunt doubling job was for doubling Chris Evans on 'Fantastic Four,'” said Hein on Monday.
Yes, Captain America himself, and that’s just one of the many roles the Vancouver, B.C., native has filled as a stunt performer, starting all the way back in high school.
“I just thought, well, if I could just get on a movie set, they do stunts on it. So, I started with being a background, being an extra,” Hein said.
Hein was ahead of the curve with an extensive gymnastics background, but back then, he said he didn’t know how to throw a punch.
“So, I just trained hard in all the different martial arts. I don’t really have a belt in anything, but that’s kind of my thing now. It’s just movie fighting,” said Hein.
Hein’s wife went to Skyview High School and the couple relocated to Billings to be closer to family. But he travels all over the world for roles, with some pretty big names.
“And then Ryan Reynolds came in, did Deadpool, and then went over to Berlin for Captain America,” Hein said, referring to the second film in the franchise, "Civil War."
His latest gig was a couple of episodes on HBO’s hit show "The Last of Us." He said the behind-the-scenes experience on episode five of the show was incredible.
“There was 60 special effects makeup people, and 30 stunt performers would come in at 2 o'clock and literally just get their makeup done for three hours,” said Hein.
It’s a labor of love and Hein couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
“The work itself I enjoy, so that’s rewarding. And then being able to see on the screen and then have it out forever, published forever, it is rewarding,” Hein said.
So keep your head up around town, you never know if you might run into Hein.
