Nick Gillard is an English stuntman and

stunt coordinator A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company for stunt casting. Their job is to arrange the casting (stunt players and stunt doubles) and performance of stunts for a ...

. He is best known as the lead

lightsaber A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout the '' Star Wars'' franchise. A typical lightsaber is depicted as a luminescent plasma blade about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the o ...

fight and stunt coordinator of the ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy films (1999–2005).

Biography

Gillard was born in Brighton,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. At the age of twelve, he ran away from

military school A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...

to join the

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclis ...

where he performed as bareback horse rider. Over the next few years Gillard worked with several circus's including Circus Althoff in Germany and Los Muchachos Circus in Spain. Gillard was invited to do stunts on '' The Thief of Baghdad''. He enjoyed it, and later left the circus to perform stunt work in films, including the original ''Star Wars''. Gillard was Mark Hamill's first choice as his stunt double for ''

Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...

''. As a stuntman, Gillard held the world record for longest fire stunt, with a fire burn without air for over two minutes on ''

Alien 3 ''Alien 3'' (stylized as ''A''LIEN³) is a 1992 American science fiction horror film directed by David Fincher and written by David Giler, Walter Hill, and Larry Ferguson, from a story by Vincent Ward. It stars Sigourney Weaver, reprising her ...

''. He also performed a 200-foot power boat jump over two bridges in the film ''

Amsterdamned ''Amsterdamned'' is a 1988 Dutch slasher film directed and written by Dick Maas, and stars Huub Stapel, Monique van de Ven, and Serge-Henri Valcke. The plot revolves around a serial killer who uses the famed canals of the Dutch capital to mur ...

'', and was set on fire over 100 times. Among Gillard's movie credits are '' Sleepy Hollow'', '' Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'', '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'' and '' Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade''. Gillard was the

fight choreographer Stage combat, fight craft or fight choreography is a specialised technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet pr ...

of the ''Star Wars'' prequels. He had a cameo appearance in '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' as Cin Drallig ("Nic Gillard" spelled backwards). His likeness was used for the character with a larger role in the accompanying video game, for which Gillard choreographed the combat animations.

Filmography

As stunt coordinator, arranger or performer

Film

* 1977 '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' * 1981 '' For Your Eyes Only'' * 1983 '' Krull'' * 1984 ''

Scream for Help ''Scream for Help'' is a 1984 British horror film directed by Michael Winner, written by Tom Holland, and starring Rachael Kelly, David Brooks, and Marie Masters. Set in New Rochelle, New York, the film follows a teenage girl who discovers that ...

'' * 1985 ''

Restless Natives ''Restless Natives'' is a 1985 Scottish cinema adventure comedy, directed by Michael Hoffman. Plot The story follows the adventures of two Scottish youths from the Wester Hailes district of Edinburgh, played by Vincent Friell and Joe Mullan ...

'' * 1985 '' The Bride'' * 1985 ''

Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...

'' * 1985 ''Murder Elite'' * 1985 ''Claudia'' * 1985 ''Christmas Present'' * 1986 ''

Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by t ...

'' * 1986 '' Aliens'' * 1987 ''

The Living Daylights ''The Living Daylights'' is a 1987 spy film, the fifteenth entry in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the first of two to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by John Glen, the film's ...

'' * 1987 ''

Empire of the Sun ''Empire of the Sun'' is a 1984 novel by English writer J. G. Ballard; it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Like Ballard's earlier short story "The Dead Time" (published in the anthology ...

'' * 1988 ''

Willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist so ...

'' * 1988 '' Dream Demon'' * 1988 ''

The Beast of War ''The Beast'' (also known as ''The Beast of War'') is a 1988 American war film directed by Kevin Reynolds and written by William Mastrosimone, based on his play ''Nanawatai''. The film follows the crew of a Soviet T-62 tank who became lost durin ...

'' * 1989 '' Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' * 1989 ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1 ...

'' * 1990 '' 1871'' * 1990 '' Frankenstein Unbound'' * 1990 '' Bullseye!'' * 1991 ''

Young Soul Rebels ''Young Soul Rebels'' is a 1991 British coming-of-age thriller written by Derek Saldaan McClintock, Isaac Julien and Paul Hallam, and directed by Julien as his second narrative feature film. The film examines the interaction between youth cultu ...

'' * 1991 '' Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'' * 1991 ''

Company Business ''Company Business'' is a 1991 action film, written and directed by Nicholas Meyer and starring Gene Hackman and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The film follows the exploits of Sam Boyd ( Gene Hackman), a former operative for the CIA who is reactivated ...

'' * 1991 '' Under Suspicion'' * 1992 ''

Far and Away ''Far and Away'' is a 1992 American epic Western romantic adventure drama film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Bob Dolman and a story by Howard and Dolman. It stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. This was the last cinematography cr ...

'' * 1992 '' Alien³'' * 1992 '' Double X: The Name of the Game'' * 1992 '' 1492: Conquest of Paradise'' * 1993 ''

Son of the Pink Panther ''Son of the Pink Panther'' is a 1993 comedy film. It is the ninth and final installment of the original '' The Pink Panther'' film series starting from the 1963 film. Directed by Blake Edwards, it stars Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau's ...

'' * 1993 ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...

'' * 1994 '' Being Human'' * 1994 ''

Black Beauty ''Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse'' is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was bedridden and seriously ill.Merriam-Webster (1995). ...

'' * 1994 ''

Interview with the Vampire ''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...

'' * 1995 '' Rob Roy'' * 1995 ''

Judge Dredd Judge Joseph Dredd is a fictional character created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. He first appeared in the second issue of '' 2000 AD'' (1977), which is a British weekly anthology comic. He is the magazine's longest-running ...

'' * 1995 ''

Waterworld ''Waterworld'' is a 1995 American post-apocalyptic action film directed by Kevin Reynolds and co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy. It was based on Rader's original 1986 screenplay and stars Kevin Costner, who also produced it with Char ...

'' * 1995 '' Nothing Personal'' * 1995 ''

GoldenEye ''GoldenEye'' is a 1995 spy film, the seventeenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Martin Campbell, it was the first in the se ...

'' * 1995 ''The Darkening'' * 1996 '' Twelfth Night: Or What You Will'' * 1996 ''

The Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

'' * 1997 '' Seven Years in Tibet'' * 1997 ''

Tomorrow Never Dies ''Tomorrow Never Dies'' is a 1997 spy film, the eighteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a screenplay ...

'' * 1999 ''

Plunkett & Macleane ''Plunkett & Macleane'' is a 1999 British historical action comedy film directed by Jake Scott, and starring Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler. Gary Oldman was executive producer. The story was co-written by Neal Purvis and Rob ...

'' * 1999 ''

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road Ma ...

'' * 1999 '' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (Also swordmaster) * 1999 '' Sleepy Hollow'' * 2000 '' Shaft'' (Also second unit director) * 2001 ''

Buffalo Soldiers Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in t ...

'' * 2002 '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' (Also swordmaster) * 2002 '' Reign of Fire'' (Also second unit director) * 2002 '' Dirty Pretty Things'' * 2005 '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (Also swordmaster) * 2008 '' Wanted'' * 2010 ''

Tamara Drewe ''Tamara Drewe'' is a weekly comic strip serial by Posy Simmonds, which had a 13 month run in ''The Guardian''s Review section. The strip is based upon a modern reworking of Thomas Hardy's 1874 novel '' Far from the Madding Crowd''. The stor ...

'' * 2013 ''The Fold'' * 2015 ''

The Hippopotamus ''The Hippopotamus'' (1994) is a comic novel by Stephen Fry. Written in part as an epistolary novel, it is largely narrated by the main character Edward "Ted" Wallace. Wallace is an alcoholic washed-up poet and theatre critic who, having been fi ...

Television

* 1983 ''Owain Glendower, Prince of Wales'' * 1983 '' A Pattern of Roses'' * 1985 ''

Lace II ''Lace'' is an American television two-part miniseries, based on the 1982 bonkbuster novel of the same name by author Shirley Conran. The series aired on ABC on February 26–27, 1984. The plot concerns the search by sex symbol Lili (Phoebe Cat ...

'' * 1987 ''

Screen Two ''Screen Two'' was a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC2 from 1985 to 1998 (not to be confused with a run of films shown on BBC2 under the billing ''Screen 2'' between April 1977 and March ...

'' * 1987 ''Floodtide'' * 1987 ''

Way Upstream ''Way Upstream'' is a play by Alan Ayckbourn. It was first performed, under Ayckbourn's direction, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK, "in the round" at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, on 2 October 1981. Although realistic in style, with a setting ...

'' * 1988 ''

The One Game ''The One Game'' is a four-part 1988 British television drama serial, produced by Central Independent Television and broadcast on ITV from 4 June to 25 June 1988. Set and filmed in Birmingham, it starred Patrick Malahide, Stephen Dillane (cr ...

'' * 1989–1990 ''

Poirot Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgian detective created by British writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-running characters, appearing in 33 novels, two plays ('' Black Coffee'' and ''Alibi''), and more ...

'' * 1989–1990 ''

Boon Boon may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Boon (game), a trick-taking card game * ''Boon'' (novel), a 1915 satirical work by H. G. Wells * ''Boon'' (TV series), a British television series starring Michael Elphick * The Ultimate Boo ...

'' * 1989–2010 ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...

'' * 1991 '' Duel of Hearts'' * 1992 ''

Forever Green ''Forever Green'' is a television programme originally broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom from 26 February 1989 to 24 May 1992. It was made for London Weekend Television by Picture Partnership Productions, now named Carnival Films. Cast *P ...

'' * 1992 ''

Taggart ''Taggart'' is a Scottish detective fiction television programme created by Glenn Chandler, who wrote many of the episodes, and made by STV Studios for the ITV network. It originally ran as the miniseries "Killer" from 6 until 20 Septembe ...

'' * 1993 '' Lovejoy'' * 1993 ''Between the Lines'' * 1994 '' Wild Justice'' * 1994–1995 ''

The Tomorrow People ''The Tomorrow People'' is a British children's science fiction television series created by Roger Price. Produced by Thames Television for the ITV Network, the series first ran from 30 April 1973 to 19 February 1979. The theme music was ...

'' * 1995 ''

Pie in the Sky Pie in the sky, an idiom meaning an impossible or unlikely idea or plan as well as an empty wish or promise. Pie in the sky may refer to: * ''Pie in the Sky'' (TV series), a UK television series about a police officer turned restaurateur * ''Pie ...

'' * 1996 ''Broken Glass'' * 1997–1999 '' Red Dwarf'' * 2000 '' The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: My First Adventure'' * 2005 ''

Colditz Colditz () is a small town in the district of Leipzig, in Saxony, Germany. It is best known for Colditz Castle, the site of the Oflag IV-C POW camp for officers in World War II. Geography Colditz is situated in the Leipzig Bay, southeast of the ...

'' * 2009 ''

Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...

'' * 2010 ''

Identity Identity may refer to: * Identity document * Identity (philosophy) * Identity (social science) * Identity (mathematics) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film * ''Identity'' (2003 film), ...

'' * 2010 '' Spooks'' * 2013 ''

Burton & Taylor ''Burton & Taylor'' is a BBC Four TV film directed by Richard Laxton, and based on the legendary acting duo and former husband and wife, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, during their preparation for a 1983 theatrical production of the play, ' ...

'' * 2014 ''

Da Vinci's Demons ''Da Vinci's Demons'' is a historical fantasy drama series that presents a fictional account of Leonardo da Vinci's early life. The series was conceived by David S. Goyer and stars Tom Riley in the title role. It was developed and produced in ...

'' (Season 3) (Also swordmaster) * 2015 ''

Jekyll & Hyde ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is a 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old ...

'' * 2015 ''

And Then There Were None ''And Then There Were None'' is a mystery novel by the English writer Agatha Christie, described by her as the most difficult of her books to write. It was first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 November 1939, as ...

'' * 2015 ''

Undercover To go "undercover" (that is, to go on an undercover operation) is to avoid detection by the object of one's observation, and especially to disguise one's own identity (or use an assumed identity) for the purposes of gaining the trust of an ind ...

'' * 2016 ''

Guilt Guilt may refer to: *Guilt (emotion), an emotion that occurs when a person feels that they have violated a moral standard *Culpability, a legal term *Guilt (law), a legal term Music * ''Guilt'' (album), a 2009 album by Mims * "Guilt" (The Long Bl ...

'' * 2016 ''

Black Mirror ''Black Mirror'' is a British anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. Individual episodes explore a diversity of genres, but most are set in near-future dystopias with science fiction technology—a type of speculative fiction ...

'' * 2016 '' Rillington Place'' * 2016 ''

The White Princess ''The White Princess'' is a 2013 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series '' The Cousins' War''. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, and later wife of Henry VII and ...

'' (Also swordmaster) * 2016 '' The Domestics'' * 2017 '' The Brave'' * 2017 '' The Miniaturist'' * 2018 ''

The Alienist ''The Alienist'' is a crime novel by Caleb Carr first published in 1994 and is the first book in the Kreizler series. It takes place in New York City in 1896, and includes appearances by many famous figures of New York society in that era, inc ...

'' * 2018 '' Kiss Me First'' * 2018 '' Dark Heart''

Video games

* 2005 '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (Also likeness as Cin Drallig)

As actor

Film

* 1981: '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'' – German Soldier (uncredited) * 1989: '' Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' – Periscope Soldier (uncredited) * 1990: ''

King of the Wind ''King of the Wind'' is a novel by Marguerite Henry that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1949. It was made into a King of the Wind (film), film of the same name in 1990.Frankenstein Unbound'' – Man No. 2/Man No. 3 * 2003: ''Cheeky'' – Taxi Driver * 2005: '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' – Cin Drallig * 2014: ''

Vampire Academy ''Vampire Academy'' is a series of six young adult paranormal romance novels by American author Richelle Mead. It tells the story of Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway, a dhampir girl, who is training to be a guardian of her moroi best friend, Vasilisa " ...

'' – Kenneth (uncredited)

Television

* 1979: ''Premiere'' – Angel * 1982: '' The Jim Davidson Show'' * 1985: ''

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster ''Mr Palfrey of Westminster'' is a British television drama produced by Thames Television for ITV which ran between 18 April 1984 and 11 June 1985. Plot summary Mr Palfrey is a mild, middle-aged man—the epitome of a middle-ranking British Ci ...

'' – Alec Thompson * 1989: ''Ticket to Ride'' – Brother Paul * 1989: ''Streetwise'' – Heavy * 1990: '' EastEnders'' – Restaurant Manager * 1990: ''TECX'' – Luke/Luc * 1991: ''

Bottom Bottom may refer to: Anatomy and sex * Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant * Bottom (sex), a term used by gay couples and BDSM * Buttocks or bottom, part of th ...

'' * 1994: ''

'' – Queen

References

External links

*
Gillard's personal website

Gillard's YouTube channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gillard, Nick 1959 births Living people People from Brighton English choreographers Film choreographers English stunt performers English male film actors English male television actors English film directors