About
NICK POWELL -
" After qualifying as a design engineer and in spite of numerous warnings that it was not a real career, Nick decided to train as an actor. Moving to London he attended East 15 acting school and then moved on to the Drama Studio, graduating in 1984 ".
Nick with Tom Cruise - Last Samurai
After a few years working in theatre and TV, he went on to qualify for the British Stunt Register, thinking it would be an interesting and exciting sideline. Instead, it became his primary focus and when he wasn’t working as a stunt performer, he was training.
Nick was a member of the GB Tae Kwon Do squad, a silver medalist in the European Wu Shu Championships, won the London Fencing Championships and was highly competitive in springboard diving and trampolining. He also practiced numerous other Martial Arts along with Rock Climbing, Skydiving, Scuba Diving, Archery and Acrobatics to very proficient levels.
Nick with Matt Damon - The Bourne Identity.
Since those early days, he has garnered over 30 years of experience in the film and TV world where he has playeda major role in redefining the modern action movie, choreographing, coordinating and directing sequences on such iconic productions as Braveheart, Gladiator, Cinderella Man, The Last Samurai, Hamlet, 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, Nacho Libre and Bourne Identity.
Nicholas has been a department head on well over 120 productions from British TV shows to the largest budget Hollywood features and has worked in 26 countries around the world.
Being creative, adaptable and able to deliver whatever style of action was asked of him, Nicholas became one of the most in-demand coordinators / 2nd unit directors in the business.
His work has earned thirteen nominations for the Taurus World Stunt Awards, winning six of them. He is also a winner of the prestigious Fight Choreographer of the year award for his fights on Bourne Identity, which he both choreographed and directed.
Nick with Andy On - Outcast
He has personally trained, choreographed and taught a number of high profile actors including Russell Crowe, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, James Franco, Kenneth Branagh, Milla Jovovich, Djimon Hounsou, Ken Watanabe, Chris Evans, Nicolas Cage, Hayden Christensen, and Christoph Waltz.
With Nick’s background in acting and his technical proficiency in directing action, it seemed like a natural progression to move into directing the main unit.
Nicholas’ directing debut turned out to be a $23 million period action feature shot in China starring Hayden Christensen and Nicolas Cage.
Nick’s second directing project was completed early 2016 and he is currently attached to a number of projects including Cooper Sykes (Nicolas Cage), West’s War, Gun Metal Black, Fistful of Daggers, Red Sands and Samurai Vengeance.
Nick’s directing debut was shot in China for the fast emerging Chinese market and starred Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen. His second project as director was ($15mil) Primal for Lionsgate released in 2019/2020. He is currently attached to a number of projects as director Including Daybreak (to shoot in Cuba in 2020), The Runner (shooting in London and Goa), West’s War (a South African action thriller), Red Sands (An Australian Horror thriller), Samurai Vengeance (Mexico) and another project with Nicolas Cage which will be shot when both of their schedules align once more.
