The Art of the Leap

Actor and parkour pioneer Jesse La Flair talks about film, free movement and his next project — a parkour gym in the Port City.

Athlete, stuntman, actor, author and dad are just a few of the titles held by Jesse La Flair, who moved to Wilmington recently with his wife of 16 years. A pioneer in parkour and free-running, La Flair broke into the Hollywood scene by performing stunts in major productions such as Divergent, 300: Rise of an Empire and multiple X-Men films, where he doubled as Nightcrawler. This led to guest star roles on Magnum P.I., Lethal Weapon and Hawaii Five-0, a social media following of more than 2.3 million, and an air of self-confidence that made him stand out from the crowd at Social Coffee, where we spoke on a cold winter morning. We talked about his career as well as his plans to open a parkour gym in Wilmington.

WBM: Why do you think the Wilmington film scene is blowing up?
La Flair: Part of it is that there’s a new 25 percent rebate program for filmmakers. Also, it’s just easy to work here. We’ve got two empty sound stages, and everyone here is excited about film, unlike LA where shooting outside a café can cost thousands.

What makes parkour so special for you?
Parkour is more than an action sport; it’s a spectacle that anyone can relate to. My mom can understand the concept of her body moving through air without any sort of device, like a skateboard, BMX bike or a snowboard. It’s just pure movement. When people watch someone flip off a roof, they’re like, ‘Yeah, I get that.’

I read that parkour originated from the French military in response to a volcanic eruption in Martinique, sort of as a means of escape. Since then, it has transitioned from functionality more toward acrobatics and creativity. Where do you see it going in the future?
Parkour is one of the fastest-growing action sports, and that’s partially why parkour clips are breaking records on Instagram. When I started, I had to really dig through YouTube to find tutorials … there just wasn’t much out there. After I learned how to do some things, I started making my own. I learned a lot about filming and ended up getting millions of views. Then people started asking me to coach.

Is that why you’re starting your own gym?
Yeah, people are always asking if I know where to do parkour in Wilmington. I had already done lots of videos at the Tempest Free Running Academy in both LA and Dallas, where I’m a partial owner. They’re beautiful, million-dollar facilities that are a spectacle all their own. They’re painted by set decorators, and the one in Dallas looks like you’re on a rooftop.

But there was nothing like that here?
No, and since I had so much experience running the curriculum and I helped design it from the early days, it seemed like the perfect setup for Wilmington. Tempest Academy East will be a unique mix of fitness, functionality and film. I love bringing people together, and this will give me a space to do that. One thing I’m really excited about is that it will create a social venue for Wilmington. Lots of gyms don’t really have a place for people to socialize. Tempest has always done a good job creating spaces where people can hang even if they’re not training, so I think we will end up creating a culture and community here.

And you already have a proven model.
Yes, exactly. And since the overhead is lower here, the profit margins are higher, so we’re currently seeking investors to help us make it happen. The model we have is based on the profit and loss from Tempest, and the projections for the return on investment are really strong.

Sounds awesome! I bet your son is excited.
Definitely. We even took him to a competition in Italy this year. He will literally try to do a back flip off the couch.

When I was his age, I was trying to walk around the whole room without ever touching the floor.
That’s the beauty of parkour — everyone did it when they were younger (laughs). As we become adults, it turns into an excuse to understand movement better and continue to play. I even know of an 80-year-old who has a Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course in his front yard.

That is impressive, and maybe it’s proof that confidence is important. I would imagine you need a lot of that to consider parkour. Do you think that has helped as you have transitioned to acting?
What parkour teaches you is life through progression. Everything you want in life involves some kind of progressive step. I’ve been lucky to find parkour because it has given me the confidence to figure out the steps I need to take to get there. So much in parkour is filming. I understand the industry from the filmmaking side, so then the question is, can I act? Well, I thought I should practice more, so I am in class at this incredible school here in Wilmington called Actors Arsenal. It’s so important to grow and learn and take what you do seriously. I’ve probably shot over 250 self-tapes. Anytime I get a scene, I just drill it, work it, try different things. That’s partially the athlete and perfectionist in me.

How will the gym support Wilmington’s film industry?
With a dedicated space for stunt training and rehearsals, the gym will nurture local talent and make Wilmington even more attractive for productions. It’s so exciting to think about connecting the next generation to the sport. I love coaching it and helping kids learn it. This is also about breaking the myth that talent only comes from LA and building a “film family” here in Wilmington.

So, you’re looking to plant some roots here and build up the community?
Definitely, I can see how much the kids are in need of something like this and how much they will love having it here. We’re looking to have birthday parties, summer camps, you name it, everything to support the kids. I want to make it as cool or better as the other Tempests, and my wife is going to be managing it. She managed one of our other gyms.

For more information about Tempest Academy East or investing in La Flair’s new venture, email Wilmingtonparkourgym@gmail.com