David Lea

Dave Lea started training in martial arts in his early teens. He traveled the world learning from some of the greatest martial art teachers he could find, including Dan Inosanto who trained under Bruce Lee, and Joseph Cheng of Wing Chun fame. Also studied with Grand Master Leong Swee Lun of Shaolin 5 Animals in Malaysia.

Early life
Learning all he could he also started doing TV work where he landed a recurring role on UK #1 TV show EastEnders. (All this before he took an acting class). He then auditioned for 1989 Batman where he stunt/fight doubled Michael Keaton.

His first movie in Los Angeles was Tango & Cash starring Sly Stallone and Kurt Russell where he was hired to train/choreograph and fight Sly Stallone and was awarded Best Fight Sequence. That movie put Dave on the map. Since then he has continued to work with 'A' list actors in preparing them for their action roles and choreographed the action.

Career
Moving up the ladder he became a stunt coordinator/fight choreographer and continues to prepare actors for the complicated action scenes for today's audiences. In front or behind the camera Dave explodes with his passion.

He was called up by Michael Keaton to Train-Choreograph Stunt and Fight double him again in Batman Returns getting him more attention from studio heads at Warner Bros and other main line studios. He's worked with numerous actors including preparing them for Action roles in seemingly impossible timing. Sly Stallone, Ashley Judd, Ben Affleck, Colin Farrell, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ewan Mcgregor, Scarlett Johansson, Will Smith, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Pfeiffer, Famke Janssen, Dennis Quaid, David Boreanaz and many other action stars. Dave continues developing his choreography and action to excite the audiences for today's action genre.

Other works
Dave's repertoire of choreography is known by the many styles of fighting he has studied. These include close range tactical, flashy, penitentiary, street fighting, gang fights, period fights and whatever the script calls for. Dave studied dance for many years and adds that into his routines. Dave says: 'Action is like dancing! Turn the music on and dance. The best action moves are the ones that simply appear in the choreography. You don't look for them, you feel them.'

Legacy
He is also efficient in getting actors ready for their action roles within a tight schedule. For example, when working with Sly Stallone on Demolition Man, one producer, Joel Silver, introduced Dave to Sandra Bullock saying he had only 7 days to get her ready - and he did! Dave continues to stay motivated and searches for new and innovative ways to enhance the action. No two actors are the same, and Dave creates different styles of action for every film, whether it's a low budget indie or a high end studio budget. Dave said: 'When your passion is in the action, the fights and stunts will be true and real. I have learned from some of the best teachers out there.

Personal life
The least I can do is hold on to what they taught me. Dave added: 'My mother had a tremendous influence on my physical and stretching abilities. She would do the splits and kick above her head, just because she could. She was so amazing. So really she was the greatest inspiration of all, and continues to be.' Dave continues to train himself. He said: 'It becomes a lifestyle and a wonderful challenge to keep the physical ability of kicking, stretching and keeping finely tuned to all that works.' When it comes to movie fighting, he researches and creates the more unusual styles of fighting. He also took up Latin dancing to improve his choreography. Dave develops unique and explosive moves that even the most uncoordinated actor can perform to give a sense of reality to their performance and action scenes. 'I do the impossible! God helps with the 'miracles'. Camera ready, Real 2 Reel! And action!'