Romain Dumontier

STUNTMAN

Laurent Laskowski

instagram

Could you briefly introduce yourself?

So, it all started when I was 16 , that's when I started stunts with my best friend's father. It was at the age of 18 that I started to get my first real jobs in the world of cinema as a stuntman, for 2 years I gained experience. Then, there was a period of three and a half years where I took a break from my stunt career. I was sucked into the world of professional rallying. The driver contracts didn't really allow me to juggle with stunts at that time. Once my rally career was over, I got back into the rhythm of stunts, first with a show at Disney and then slowly towards cinema.

What made you want to become a stuntman?

I think it was actually my brother who laid the foundation for my stunt career. I was kind of his guinea pig. He built pedal cars and all sorts of stuff, and who was his favorite guinea pig? Me, of course! He would throw me down stairs, pull me behind his bike or his motorbike... I was always up for an adventure. By the time I was 6, I was already putting on my mother's motorcycle helmet and jacket, ready to take on any challenge. I was a real daredevil, and I guess that experience really prepared me for the world of stunts.

LAURENT LASKOWSKI

As a stuntman, you have to face many risks. But do you have any fears deep inside you?

It's true that as a stuntman, my daily life is made up of a lot of challenges and dangers to master. But honestly, it's not the professional risks that concern me, but rather the fears related to humans. My job requires constant vigilance and the ability to anticipate every danger. But sometimes, despite all our preparation, human error can creep in. It's this fear that pushes me to always check for myself, to never let my attention go. When you're juggling with fire or performing stunts that you've mastered for years, that's when danger can arise; it's really when routine sets in that it's the most dangerous. However, despite the sometimes perilous nature of our job, I'm lucky to be able to say that I've avoided serious injuries. In 14 years of my career, I've never been hospitalized because of my work. This clearly shows the importance of remaining vigilant in all circumstances, a rule that I try to follow to the letter.

How do you manage safety during your stunts and what advice would you give to those interested in this field?

To go into more detail, I would say that I am a bit like the new generation of stuntmen. The old ones tended to take more risks by rushing headlong without worrying about the consequences: they would do series of barrel rolls in flip-flops without protection, without anything. I really tell myself that I must be able to do this job every day, if today I do 10 barrel rolls in a car, I must be ready to do them again tomorrow without compromising my safety. From this observation, I am one of those who protect themselves and who analyze the most, and that is perhaps what will allow me to have a longer longevity. After all, an impulsive daredevil will not last long in this job. I consider myself more of an engineer, always looking for the best way to accomplish a stunt safely.

Laurent laskowski cascadeurs

If you had the chance to perform a stunt in an iconic movie, which one would you choose and why?

Contrary to what one might think, it is not in big productions that you have the most fun doing big stunts . With the omnipresence of special effects and 3D today, the possibilities are sometimes limited. Personally, I had more fun in short films where there are budgetary limits but where imagination is the only barrier. But to answer the question, I would have liked Fast and Furious . Well, they are already on the tenth opus, so maybe it is a little late for me to jump in the race, but I think I would have liked it.

What are your goals for the future of your stunt career? Do you have any personal projects coming up?

Currently I am 34 years old , I am in the period when a stuntman is at his peak: between 33 and 38 years old. This is when I really want to leave my mark and show everyone that I have accomplished great things in my career. I know that around the age of 38-40, it will be time for me to turn the page, so I want to make the most of it until then. For the moment, my main goal is to carry out large-scale projects, projects that will have an impact on an international scale. I like to call them "Visual Punchlines", stunts that will leave a lasting impression, exceptional technical performances, exploits that will go around the world.

The Laskoshow project

How did the idea of ​​creating the Laskowshow channel come about?

Since always, whether at school, at work or elsewhere, I am called Lasko rather than Laurent (my last name being Laskowski). It all started one day when I was
stuntman at Disneyland Paris: I published on Facebook a video of the daily warm-up with the STUNTSHOW cars. The video was a real success, it went around the world and
has accumulated millions of views. It was called " LASKO du STUNTSHOW ", and that's when I came up with the idea for " Laskoshow ". I then created a YouTube channel that now has over 43,000 subscribers, and an Instagram account with over 34,000 followers. One of my friends, Gabriel, a photographer and art director, came to accompany me on the project for a while. Working with him was an incredible experience, where we were able to share some great moments together.

What were some of the most memorable moments or craziest challenges you faced as a stuntman for Laskoshow?

There were quite a few! One that immediately comes to mind is the trip with Gabriel to Lapland to do rallying . It was just incredible! Sharing this experience with my friend Gab was really beyond anything I could have imagined. Another adventure that left a mark on me was our escapade to Catalonia. We were invited by Toyota to attend the WRC rally, and you know what? We traveled only by helicopter! It was completely crazy, it is definitely an experience that I will never forget.

Is there a challenge you have always dreamed of doing for Laskoshow but have not had the opportunity to try yet? If so, which one?

Yes, I had the one to participate in a race in the French drift championship. Imagine, me, a complete rookie in this discipline, facing the big guns of the championship, but still with the objective of doing well. The challenge was big but unfortunately it fell through.

There is also another challenge which would be to win a real official title, in any category. Today even if I have won many rallies, I have never had the opportunity to do a complete championship. So, I would like to be able to share the whole adventure on Laskoshow, which would allow a real immersion in the world of motor racing.

How do you see Laskoshow evolving in the coming years? Do you plan to explore new types of content or challenges?

For Laskoshow , I would like to develop completely crazy car tests, push the limits, I want to present my profession even more to the public, go behind the scenes of cinema… In parallel with my adventures for Laskoshow , my wife and I are working on a project called Motorsloft . This place will become our den, our HQ where we can gather all our friends who are passionate about mechanics. There will be a video studio and a mechanical space to prepare the cars. In fact, we are at a decisive turning point, because once the work is finished, we will be able to integrate Laskoshow into Motorsloft where we will be able to produce even more content, interviews, and many other projects. We still have a good year of work but as soon as it is ready it will be crazy, we have more than 600m2 to give free rein to our imagination and creativity.

Why did you agree to become an ambassador for Morex Custom?

Gabriel introduced me to Kevin from Morex, and I immediately clicked, there was a very good connection between us. I could see that a lot of aspects of Morex corresponded to my values: my close family from Rennes, the passion for motorcycles and cars, and above all, the cool atmosphere that emanates from the brand. I felt super in tune with Morex. I am super proud of this collaboration. Working with Morex is working with a brand on a human scale , which gives me the feeling of contributing to something special. I am aware of the enormous work done by the Morex team, and I am convinced that if we continue like this, success will be there. Today, I am more oriented towards artistic collaborations rather than commercial ones. What motivates me are the projects that will remain engraved in our memories for years, not just ephemeral commercial contracts.

What is your favorite piece of clothing?

I have a growing collection at Morex! I've already fallen for a jacket, a pair of shorts, and I've lost count of the number of t-shirts. I also gave my wife a sweater from the brand. The new collection is so cool and it's a logical continuation of the brand's development. I think it has a real identity and the DNA is there: around fun, mechanics, sports and nature. It's totally me and I'll say it again, I'm so proud to represent the brand. So, to answer, I have a crush on all the new collection ;).