Stuntman Robbie Marshall

We had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Robbie Marshall, a highly skilled stunt rider, to discuss his role in bringing the high-octane motorcycle scenes to life in the recent Mad Max films. As a key player in the stunt team, Robbie was instrumental in executing some of the most intense and daring sequences, pushing the limits of both man and machine. His firsthand experience and behind-the-scenes insights shed light on the immense coordination, precision, and bravery required to pull off these jaw-dropping maneuvers. Our conversation with him offered a fascinating glimpse into the world of Hollywood stunt riding and the dedication it takes to make movie magic happen.

Was this the first Mad Max film have you have been apart of?

I actually worked on the last Mad Max (Fury Road) back in 2012. It was filmed in Namibia and I lived there for 6 months.

Where and when was it filmed?

We started in Hay, NSW and ended in Sydney. There were some stages where different units went to Broken Hill for a portion of the time.

How long did filming take?

Furiosa started in March 2022 for myself, and went right through until October 2022. It was obviously in works a lot longer before and after that. I did do a few weeks rehearsals earlier on in 2021. I think it was, but in the film industry things do get delayed and I believe Covid played a big part in delaying filming starting etc. I also did some pick up shots in mid 2023 I think it was.

Did you have to be there the entire time?

Being in Australia I was able to travel home a few weekends once we were based in Bondi for that portion of filming. But apart from that, I stayed away the whole time. Once filming starts it can be pretty full on and you have to always be on standby even if you aren’t being utilised for parts of the filming.

For the film you were a stunt rider, what type of bike did you ride for it?

I had to ride a massive variety of bikes. From a YZ450 or 250 right through to Harley Davidson’s, BMW 1800’s, Yamaha Tenere’s etc. There were just over 100 bikes in total I believe. It’s crazy how there will be 2 or 3 of the exact same bikes for the popular ones that were used a lot. You will see in the movie the main vehicle which Chris Hemsworth drives (the chariot) I was one of the main drivers for this bike/vehicle, which consisted of 2 x BMW 1800’s joined together with a radial engine custom chopper in the middle.

Was it more difficult to do stunts on that bike compared to your FMX bike? If so what did you do to overcome it?

The biggest challenge was riding the bikes with all of the cosmetics on them in tough conditions like soft sand etc. Just riding in a straight line and sometimes having a pillion can be the hardest thing to do and in the film world it’s all about being in the right place where the camera needs you. Obviously when it came to driving the Chariot with Chris acting and being the main focus for the camera etc, it was the most crucial and hardest part of the job, making sure I was always in the right spots for camera.

Were you stunt double for anyone in particular?

I didn’t double anyone as such, most of the motorbike characters are their own characters. I did have to fill in and double for one of the actors towards the end very end just for one day.

How long did costume/makeup take?

Make up for that with added hair etc, can take a good 2-3 hours. On average though, costume and make up would usually take up to 2 hours each day for most characters I played.

Did you have to learn any new stunts you had not done prior to this?

I didn’t have to learn any new stunts for the film as such, but more so had to try and learn to ride such a ride range of bikes, and like I said most of the time in sand or soft surfaces, which was always tricky.

Is it as exciting as what it seems like on screen?

Everything definitely looks super exciting and full on when it plays on the big screen. Some things are what it seems and it is absolutely full on and exciting. They’re the awesome days. Then on the other hand, there might be something full on happening which is right in front of the camera, but there are times you may just be playing in the background and not have such a crucial role. Either way, it’s a great experience and you’re always working with such a big group of talented stunt people, so it’s definitely a great industry to be involved in.

Were there any big crashes or injuries on set?

As far as injuries, there can always be minor injuries and obviously some of the things we had to do can be quite dangerous and put other people at risk also (pillion passengers etc) I think I had 3 crashes in total. One silly one when it was a bit wet one day and a couple of other just tip overs.

What did you get up to on your days off?

Days off we usually just seemed to train haha. It’s actually a really good atmosphere with all the stunt guys and girls on the job. Both times I’ve worked on Mad Max I have come home the fittest I’ve ever been. Stunt people have such a wide range of talent and seem to be able to do such a wide variety of sports or activities. So it’s always cool to try new things. Furiosa in particular, I did a lot of Bouldering (indoor rock climbing without ropes) and I really found a new passion for that. I’m still not very good at it, but being a motorbike rider, I’m determined as all hell, which the other stunt guys picked up on the first day we went climbing and I didn’t get off the walls for about 3 hours I think it was haha. Other than that, we did get to chill out a bit once in Bondi and would always take the chance to go to the beach and go surfing etc.

Did you get the opportunity to hang out with the cast?

Being a driver of the chariot, I got to meet Chris Hemsworth properly and hang with him on set a lot of days. In the end it resulted in him having a motocross track built by Trackworks Design down near Byron Bay which we’ve been riding at a couple of times since. He loves moto and his kids actually rip on their bikes, so that’s cool to see. Also, a lot of the time you’re on the set with a lot of the main cast and crew, so you do interact with them a bit.

What was the hardest part of the experience?

The hardest part is definitely being away for so long from friends and family. Like I said though, being only in Sydney a short flight from home, it wasn’t too bad this time round. I guess the only other hardest part is not always being utilised and there can be a lot of waiting around, which coming from an athlete background I feel like we always want to be doing something and being utilised to our full potential. So that can be a bit to get used to as well.