So, going back to Man of Tai Chi, what did you have to do there?
Brahim Achabbake: Mike Leader, who was in Hong Kong, first contacted me and asked me to take some pictures of me throwing kicks. Then a few weeks later he told me that I had a role as a Taekwondo fighter in Man of Tai Chi! The concept is reminiscent of Fearless with Jet Li, so we have, roughly speaking, all types of martial arts in the film. There is taekwondo (that's on me), MMA, boxing, Mongolian wrestling, Shaolin kung fu, all styles!
It wasn't easy, I tell you! First, I was invited to China to train under the guidance of master Yuen Wuping, and, as it turned out, it is necessary to develop the ability to control the techniques you perform, to have a good rhythm and tempo. Before going to China to work, you need to study Hong Kong films, this is very important. For example, kicking requires the highest accuracy, cleanliness of execution and the ability to deliver a variety of types of strikes. There are very high demands regarding the accuracy of your movements.
It's clear! While working with Yuen Wuping, did he give you any advice or guidance?
Brahim Achabbake: Working with his team, I learned a lot about choreography, how he designs individual episodes, how filming is done, etc., it's amazing! They are very good at what they do. Chinese and Hong Kong stuntmen are the best in the world! Whatever one may say, this test was one of the best for me, I strived for it! When I was young, I constantly told myself: “I want to work with master Yuen Wuping,” and I told him about this when we met! When everything became a reality, I was very happy, it was a great honor for me!
Who do you think are the top three production directors right now?
Brahim Achabbake: I would say Master Yuen Wuping, Donnie Yen is very good, and I also like Corey Yuen.
Great, Brahim, you had a lot of work in Thailand... Did you meet people like Panna Rittikrai, Tony Jaa's mentor and choreographer of his films?
Brahim Achabbake: Yes, I know Panna, I met him a couple of times and even acted in a Korean film with taekwondo called “The Kick”. Also worked with his team on The Scorpion King 3 and The White Elephant. I joined the stunt team for a couple of months. Panna's team operates under the banner of the Baa Ram Ewe company.
Amazing! Now that Tom Yum Goong 2 (aka The Protector 2) is on the way, can you share your thoughts on Tony Jaa?
Brahim Achabbake: Of course. Well, we both love high quality Hong Kong action. I think Tony Jaa is very good! Tony Jaa took the recklessness of 80s and 90s movies and channeled it into Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong, both of which became mega hits. I think that Tony Jaa's Muay Thai is very powerful, strong and effective.
What is he like in communication?
Brahim Achabbake: He is a very humble person, very hardworking. He earned his current position because he was a stuntman and double and earned his way to the top.
What can I say, it is clearly visible!
Can you tell us about the hardest stunt or sequence you've ever done?
Brahim Achabbake: I jumped from the 20th floor of a building with just a safety rope! He jumped into the air, grabbed the rope and jumped across the entire building! This was the scariest trick! He also starred in a film called “Secret Sharer”, where he fell in free fall from the top floor to the bottom, which is 12 meters without mats, without anything! The director wanted to film one episode in which two stuntmen fall down onto a tree, not onto mattresses, so it was quite painful. I specialize in breaking glass, falling from vehicles (in The Scorpion King 3 you can see me falling down from a chariot while the horse is going 50 km/h!). However, I am able to adapt, I am quite a versatile stuntman.
Now let me ask you, what is your favorite martial arts movie?
Brahim Achabbake: Of course! With the participation of Jackie Chan, I like “Drunken Master 1-2”, “Young Master”, “Diner on Wheels”, “Dragons Forever” and “Armor of God”, “The Flash” with Donnie Yen, “Fist of Legend” with Jet Li, also “Bloodsport” and “AWOL” with Van Damme!
Of course, “Jet on Wheels” and “Dragons Forever” also starred “Jet” Benny Urquidez. We were thrilled to have the honor of interviewing him recently (coming soon to Kung-fu Kingdom!). What do you think about his skills, since in life he is a real fighter, and also an actor/stuntman?
Brahim Achabbake: I think his skills, the way they were realized in the films, are really fantastic, amazing! Many people often say that if you are a real fighter, you cannot act in films, which is actually not true, it just depends on the person himself. Look at the way Benny moves, and you can see that Sammo Hungg and Jackie Chan took the best of him and put them into "Diner on Wheels" and "Dragons Forever." For me, Jackie Chan's fight in "Diner on Wheels" is among the best fights I've ever seen, it's so fast and controlled that you can't even complain!
Now we're going to go a little deeper into what you do, since not everyone does it! Some may punch and kick and perform a number of tricks, but you have a lot of wushu-style acrobatics in your arsenal. Tell us about your favorite move!
Brahim Achabbake: My favorite kick is called the “Butterfly Twist Kick”, it’s actually from Wushu, but I added a roundhouse kick to it, it’s my favorite! I like all types of kicks, like 720 degree spins and 900 degree kicks... 720 degree spins can be hard on the knees and ankles, so I do them from high up.
Do you need to use a soft floor for this or can you do it on a hard floor?
Brahim Achabbake: I can do it on a hard floor, no problem!
What type of workouts do you do to keep yourself in top shape?
Brahim Achabbake: Basically I train for two hours every day except Sunday. Working out various parts of my body. For strength training I use medium weights, for example on Monday I do chest exercises, on Tuesday I do biceps and shoulders, on Wednesday I do back exercises, so this is a basic weight training program. There are also martial arts classes, somersaults and everything else. It depends on my mood and what I want to do. I try to mix up my regular training a little with kickboxing, working out with some of my gym friends. This includes boxing and fight choreography!
Do you do any specific stretches to improve your flexibility?
Brahim Achabbake: Yes! I stretch 30 minutes a day after working out at the gym. I stretch mainly the hamstrings and lower body to get my feet up high and perform leg holds. In general, I do a lot of leg exercises and do them almost every 6 days a week.
Truly “the eyes are afraid, but the legs are doing”! So now let's talk about people like Tim Man and Anis Cheurfa. Do these guys in films still demonstrate that extreme tricking?
Brahim Achabbake: Actually, Tim Man is one of my best friends, he starred in the movie “Kill 'Em All”, where, by the way, I had a role. The action looks brilliant to me! He is a fight director and I believe he has a huge chance to become one of the biggest action heroes of the next generation. He is very talented, and his tricking is one of the best I have ever seen in my life! Tim was my mentor, and when I came to Thailand he helped me in many ways, like an older brother! As a person who practices martial arts and also does tricking, Tim Man really stands out from the rest, a serious guy!
We've seen Anis Cheurfa in action, and just like you, he has a whole range of stunning, crazy stunts that defy the laws of gravity! Do you know him?
Brahim Achabbake: Anis Cheurfa is my childhood friend, if that's what we're talking about!
Seriously?
Brahim Achabbake: Yes, we started tricking together!
What a small world! Okay, so what projects do you have coming up in the near future?
Brahim Achabbake: I started stunt coordinating and worked in this position on an American film called “The Railway Man” with Nicole Kidman, which was filmed in Thailand. There are several Hollywood projects coming up and something quite unusual... I'll tell you about it later! I'm also directing my own 25-minute short film with Kazu Neda as director, on which I'm the production director. Ron Smoorenburg also stars in it. We are fighting together. When the film is completed, we will put it online. Thus, our plans for the future are to bring together our own projects!
It looks like something very intriguing awaits us, many will be looking forward to it!
Now let's move on to nutrition, what food do you eat, Brahim?
Brahim Achabbake: Well, I eat everything except pork! To tell the truth, I don't have any special diet. I eat Thai food, foreign food, Arabic food, all kinds!
It's interesting because most martial arts people we've talked to have said that they prefer certain types of food because... it helps them with energy gain, to recover from workouts and all that.
Brahim Achabbake: Basically, I have very good genes, I burn a lot of fat, it doesn’t stay in my body. I can eat any food, but I don't eat junk food. I eat rice, chicken, beef, salads, etc. I also love yogurt and all kinds of drinks, I must say I like to eat a lot of watermelon, they are so tasty and refreshing, banana and strawberry smoothies too. They are good for helping recover after workouts, but I don’t drink alcohol or smoke. I try to stay healthy, but when it comes to food, I like to eat a little of everything!
It is reasonable!
What do you currently consider to be your greatest achievement both in your work as a stuntman (since you started doing this) and in your personal life?
Brahim Achabbake: I think my greatest achievement is being able to live off what I do, be independent and not have to have another job. In fact, for the last five years this is exactly what I've been doing, stunts, acting, stunt double work, doing it all! Many people tell me that if you are a stuntman, you will never earn money, but I will tell you that stuntmen make quite decent money, even if they work in Asia. Now I don't have to do anything else. Sometimes I work three or four days a month, but I eat very well, allow me to buy my own clothes and live my own life. I'm truly free and don't need to work on the side. I proved to my parents that I don't have to struggle to make ends meet and all that... and an achievement in my personal life is that I lived to be 28 and never got drunk!
Wow, this is really something!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a stuntman?
Brahim Achabbake: Work hard! You can’t just show up, put your foot up and think you’ll get a job, no, you have to strive to get a job. No one is going to wait for you, you need to make yourself known!
You mean stop doing nonsense and get noticed?
Brahim Achabbake: This is very important! You need to be noticed, and the most important thing is your reputation. You need to be a person your employers can trust. Here's my advice. I also believe in believing in yourself! I arrived in Thailand with only 200 euros in my pocket. I made a name for myself through hard work and now I have everything I need. Therefore, you need to believe in yourself, even in difficult times you need to regard what is happening as a test and ask yourself the question: how much do you want this?
What message would you like to share with Kung-fu Kingdom readers and your fans around the world who follow your work?
Brahim Achabbake: I would like to express my gratitude to the readers of Kung-fu Kingdom and my fans for all the support, for believing in me, for sharing what I do with others! Thanks for watching the action movies! Without spectators, we would not have the opportunity to do what we love! Thank you for interviewing me, I look forward to further telling you about my biggest and coolest movie roles in upcoming films and sharing it with you in the best way I can - on screen!
Fabulous! And finally, what is your favorite military wisdom (saying) or favorite quote?
Brahim Achabbake: No pain, no gain! (note: no translation needed)
Is there anything else you would like to mention?
Brahim Achabbake: I think it’s great, we covered almost everything!
Thank you, Brahim! We will be following your work and wish you all the best in your current and future projects!
Brahim Achabbake: Thank you so much, Raj!
Author: Raj
Source: Kung-fu Kingdom (KFK)
Translation: EvilDollaR
Home » The Interview »
Tags: Man Of Tai Chi, Anis Cheurfa, Brahim Achabbake, Ron Smoorenburg, Tim Man, Yuen Wu-Ping
Tags: Man Of Tai Chi, Anis Cheurfa, Brahim Achabbake, Ron Smoorenburg, Tim Man, Yuen Wu-Ping
Thank you! It’s strange that he is not among the actors of the throne on the film search! I wouldn’t even know that he acted in Tron if you hadn’t enlightened me. Thank you! :) by the way, I searched for anis cheurfa, this site was on the first pages of search engines!))) as an actor he is not so famous, he has 4 films, more like a tricker!
Thank you. Interesting
Glad to. ;)
https://fight-films.info/anis-cheurfa-voprosy-i-otvety/
It was interesting to read! :) who is Anis Cheurfa??
Thank you.