Bradley James Allan (14 February 1973 – 7 August 2021) was an Australian martial artist, action choreographer, actor, and stunt performer. He worked in the Hong Kong film industry as a member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and choreographed action scenes in Hollywood films. He is best known for his role as Alan in the 1999 film Gorgeous.
Biography Brad Allan began boxing and karate training around age 10. He studied Wushu and gymnastics from age 14, spending two years learning under Beijing Wushu Team members Liang Chang-xing and Tang Lai-wei, compatriots of actor Jet Li. He was also trained in a number of other martial arts including karate, aikido, hapkido, taekwondo, Wing Chun, boxing, and kickboxing. He later spent time at the Shanghai Institute of Sport and learned Mandarin. In 1993, he made his first film appearance in the unofficial sequel film Drunken Master III. He briefly joined the Australian stunt team New Generation Stunts.
He was a member of the Australian team at the fourth World Wushu Championships in Rome, in November 1997. Later that year, he heard Jackie Chan was filming Mr. Nice Guy in Melbourne and knew some of the Australian crew. He was invited to demonstrate his martial arts style for action film director Cho Wing. Allan made a brief appearance in the film and was signed for a role in Chan's next Hong Kong film, Who Am I? (1998), where he would double for Ron Smoorenburg and Michelle Ferre. He was subsequently invited to join Chan's stunt team, 'Sing ga ban', as their first non-Asian member. Allan progressed through the stunt team, and ultimately became team leader.
In the 2000s, in addition to being a member of Chan's stunt team, Allan gained action choreography/direction roles in major Hollywood films including The Chronicles of Riddick and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
In 2010, Allan teamed up with British director Edgar Wright for the making of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as second unit director. Allan and his team again teamed up with Wright in 2011 and 2012 for Cuban Fury and The World's End, respectively.
On 7 August 2021, Allan died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 48. News of his death was first announced by Chan on social media. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, released in September 2021, is dedicated to Allan. His final film, Argylle, released in February 2024, pays tribute to him.
Filmography
Television and other work Year Title Role Notes1998Raw FMJackABC TV series (Australian TV)Good Guys/Bad GuysDriverLe Mesurier Films (Australian TV)1999Noah's ArkStuntman and stuntdoubleThunderstoneStuntdoubleTV series2000Saturday Night LiveOpening monologue thugEpisode: "Jackie Chan/Kid Rock"Uncredited2002Mutant XComputer sparring partnerEpisode: "Interface"Uncredited2011Our DealStunt coordinatorMusic video director: Drew Barrymore
Films Year Title Director Role Notes1994 Drunken Master III Lau Kar-leung Foreigner on bus Uncredited 1997 Mr. Nice Guy Sammo HungStunt performer Uncredited1998 Who Am I? Jackie ChanBenny Chan as Bradley Allan Hot War Jingle Ma Uncredited1999 Gorgeous Vincent Kok as Bradley Allan Gen-X Cops Benny ChanJackie Chan: My Stunts Jackie Chan 2000 Shanghai Noon Tom Dey Stunt performerAssistant fight choreographer2001 The Accidental Spy Teddy Chan Stunt performerStunt co-ordinator as Bradley James Allen Rush Hour 2 Brett Ratner Stunt performer as Bradley James Allan 2002 The Tuxedo Kevin Donovan Stunt performer2003 Shanghai Knights David Dobkin Stunt performerAction choreographer Uncredited (S.P.) The Medallion Gordon Chan Stunt performer as Bradley James Allan Peter Pan P. J. Hogan Fight co-ordinator2004 New Police Story Benny Chan Stunt choreographer The Chronicles of Riddick David Twohy Stunt co-ordinator 2005 The Pacifier Adam Shankman Stunt performerFight choreographer Uncredited (S.P.) 2006 Eragon Stefen Fangmeier Stunt rigger 2007 Rush Hour 3 Brett Ratner Stunt co-ordinator as Bradley James Allan2008 Hellboy II: The Golden Army Guillermo del Toro Action directorStunt co-ordinator Bedtime Stories Adam Shankman Action choreographer2009 Ninja Assassin James McTeigue Stunt performer A Christmas Carol Robert Zemeckis Stunts Avatar James Cameron Stunts Uncredited2010 Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief Chris Columbus Stunts Uncredited Kick-Ass Matthew Vaughn Stunt co-ordinator A Nightmare on Elm Street Samuel Bayer Fight choreographer Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Edgar Wright Stunt co-ordinatorSecond unit director2011 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor Mars Needs Moms Simon Wells Stunts I Am Number Four D.J. Caruso Stunt co-ordinator The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn Steven Spielberg Stunts Uncredited 2012 Chinese Zodiac Jackie Chan Action co-ordinator 2013 Pacific Rim Guillermo del Toro Action designerThe World's End Edgar Wright Stunt co-ordinatorSecond unit director Iceman Ariel Vromen Action co-ordinator2014 Cuban Fury James GriffithsStunt co-ordinatorSecond unit director Wolves David Hayter2015 Kingsman: The Secret Service Matthew Vaughn Little Boy Alejandro Gómez Monteverde Stunt co-ordinator Insidious: Chapter 3 Leigh Whannell Stunts Sinister 2 Ciaran Foy Stunts 2017 Wonder Woman Patty Jenkins Stunts Kingsman: The Golden Circle Matthew VaughnStunt co-ordinatorSecond unit director 2018 Solo: A Star Wars Story Ron Howard2021Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Destin Daniel CrettonSupervising Stunt co-ordinatorSecond unit director Posthumous releaseThe King's ManMatthew Vaughn Stunt co-ordinatorSecond unit director Posthumous release2024ArgylleStunt co-ordinator Posthumous release; Final film
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