A Maltese-Australian stuntman has described the ‘surreal’ experience of working alongside stars like Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal on the set of Gladiator 2.
Chris Pace, whose parents emigrated from Malta to Australia in the 1950s, told Times of Malta that working on the set of the 2024 blockbuster was a dream come true.
“The first Gladiator is my favourite film of all time, and to be in a film that was shot in the country where my parents are from was an incredible achievement for myself,” said Pace, who was born and raised in Melbourne.
Pace appears as a warrior in several battles and fight scenes in the film.
“It was surreal being in the Coliseum set. The huge water tank at Malta Film Studios is also really impressive.”
Pace (centre) during the filming of Gladiator 3 in Malta: “It was surreal being in the Coliseum set.”The stuntman had particular praise for Pedro Pascal, who played Roman general Acacius. One scene that stands out in Pace’s mind is the Battle of Numidia, which takes place at the start of the film.
“I was amazed at how much control he had using the swords. Even though he had a stunt double, he insisted on doing the fight himself.”
Pace also reaffirmed Pascal’s reputation as one of the nice guys of the film industry.
“He was so humble and kind, happy to say hello and talk to us in between takes. Not only is he a great actor but a nice human being as well.”
He was watching a John Wayne film when it “clicked” that he could use his skills as a jockey to be a stuntman in Hollywood
Pace spent six months in Malta. His career as a stuntman literally started by accident, after he sustained a serious injury while working as a horse jockey.
“I got knocked down, knocked out unconscious, and smashed my shoulder. This ultimately ended my career on the track.”
After months of rehabilitation, pilates, yoga, and mobility training, Pace says he was watching a John Wayne film when it “clicked” that he could use his skills as a jockey to be a stuntman in Hollywood.
“So I dedicated my time to stunt training, including martial arts, gymnastics, parkour, stunt driving and horse stunts. It’s not for the faint-hearted, although the hardest part is getting work and recognition in the field, which can take a long time.”
Pace (centre) on the set of Furiosa, the sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road.Pace’s first major role was as one of the main stunt horse-riding doubles in the 2017 Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean 5, starring Johnny Depp.
“After that, I thought it would be great if I could work overseas, and Malta specifically because of my heritage.”
Following his work on Gladiator in 2023, the film’s local stunt coordinator, Morgan Chetcuti, invited Pace to return to Malta a few months later to serve as his assistant on the TV adaptation of The Count Of Monte Cristo.
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“It was nice to get that experience as I haven’t done a lot of that in Australia.”
Pace has also appeared in Furiosa, the sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, and in the soon-to-be-released Mark Wahlberg film Play Dirty. He is also hoping to secure a role in the upcoming TV adaptation of the Harry Potter series.
“Words cannot describe how proud I am that I’ve stuck with this journey and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”