Biography
With more than 25 years in the entertainment industry, Paul Lacovara is an Emmy-nominated, SAG Award-winning stunt performer, stunt coordinator, 2nd Unit Director, and DGA director. His extensive career includes over 300 credits in major feature films and more than 130 television shows, notably over 100 episodes of Hawaii Five-0, where he played a pivotal role in creating the series' most iconic action scenes.
Hailing from Los Osos, California, Paul began his career as a college senior when cast as an extra on We Were Soldiers, quickly moving into professional stunt work. By graduation from Cal Poly, he was performing stunts on Hulk and soon gained acclaim for stunt driving, fight choreography, and wire work, doubling for top actors like Tom Hiddleston, Christian Bale, Eric Bana, Chris Pine, Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, and Jon Hamm.
Early achievements include a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble on Star Trek and two Taurus World Stunt Award nominations for Best High Work and Best Specialty Stunt.
Renowned for his action design, on-set leadership, and skill in blending performance with storytelling, Paul has progressed into both 2nd unit and main-unit directing. His work is praised for combining realism with cinematic flair. Leveraging decades of experience, he now focuses on writing and directing emotionally driven thrillers. His multi-award-winning film 38 Minutes—written, directed, and produced with crews from Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0—demonstrates his growth as a versatile filmmaker with a strong grasp of visual storytelling, pacing, and character development.
