Welcome back to a new Geektown Behind The Scenes podcast. This week I’m chatting with Sharlene Royer, the Assistant Stunt Coordinator for utterly brilliant ‘Shogun’, which recently won a record-breaking 18 Emmys - including a very well-deserved one for Outstanding Stunt Performance!

Based on James Clavell’s novel, FX’s 'Shōgun' is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village...

It is an outstanding drama, available on Hulu in the USA, and on Disney+ in the UK and other territories. It's well worth watching and catching up if you haven't seen it yet, as it appears it will be returning for two more seasons following its record-breaking Emmy win.

Born and raised in Quebec to a Haitian mother and French Canadian father, Sharlene was a dancer from the ages of 7 to 18, before moving into modelling and acting. However, following a meeting with legendary Stunt Coordinator, Alan Oliney, she was encouraged to try stunt work, and found her calling. She soon became a very sought-after stunt performer being requested to double stars such as Halle Berry, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Williams and many more.

On 'Shōgun', Sharlene discusses her work on the epic drama as Assistant Stunt Coordinator, working alongside her boss (and life-partner) Lauro David Chartrand-Del Valle, developing the hugely complex Emmy-winning “cannon” scene, melding VFX, physical effects and stunts for the “earthquake”, plus location scouting, stunt coordinating in the pandemic and lots more.

If that wasn’t enough, Sharlene was also Assistant Stunt Coordinator on season one of the hit CBS drama ‘Tracker’, for which she became the first Black, Female Stunt Coordinator to win a Leo Award from The Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of British Columbia. She talks about working with lead actor Justin Hartley (and his photographic memory), and also working with Justin alongside guest star Jenson Ackles... who sound like they were as much fun together as you'd expect!

Still want more? She also worked on the wonderfully fun DC superhero drama ‘Legends of Tomorrow’, performing the stunt work for Hawkgirl, so we touch on that in the interview too! Sharlene's other projects include things such as 'The Man In The High Castle', 'Never Let Go', 'X-Men: Days of Future Past', 'Siren', 'See', 'The 100', 'The Rookie', and lots more!

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