Martin Ivanov

Born

1977-03-18

Birthplace

Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]

Biography

Martin Ivanov (born March 18, 1977) is a stunt driver and performer. Born in Moscow, then part of the RSFSR in the USSR. His full name is Martin Viktorovich Ivanov. He is the son of the veteran Russian stunt coordinator, actor, and director Viktor Ivanov. Raised initially in Moscow, Ivanov later moved with his mother to Lithuania following his parents’ divorce. In his teens, he developed a passion for motorsport—by age 19, he had earned national titles in hippodrome and ring racing in Lithuania, and he continued to compete in rally championships in the region afterwards. His entry into stunt performance came via his father’s invitation to work on the Russian film White Gold (2000), which sparked his interest in filmmaking and stunt work. A pivotal moment came in 2003 when director Paul Greengrass was filming The Bourne Supremacy (2004). There was a casting call in Moscow for a stunt double. Martin, whose physical resemblance to Matt Damon was striking, was selected to perform many of the dangerous action sequences without CGI. This daring work won praise—though the Taurus Award for that sequence went to his father because Martin was unable to secure a U.S. visa at the time. From that breakthrough, Martin Ivanov became a sought-after stunt performer in Hollywood. He served as a stunt double in The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Quantum of Solace (2008), and Black Widow (2021), with credits also as a stunt driver or stunt performer in films like Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Jurassic World Dominion (2022), and Hardcore Henry (2015). Additionally, he appeared on-screen in Skyfall (2012) as a fruit seller in the Istanbul opening sequence. He played key roles in high-intensity car chase scenes—such as navigating the Aston Martin through tunnels and quarries in Quantum of Solace and executing complex sequences involving Coca-Cola-sprayed streets in No Time to Die (2021). Over the years, Ivanov has earned considerable recognition for his work. He has collected nine wins and eight nominations across two major awards bodies: the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards and the Taurus World Stunt Awards. Among the SAG Awards, he was a nominee in 2024 for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), a winner in 2022 for No Time to Die (2021), a winner in 2021 for Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), and a nominee in earlier years for Black Widow (2021), Jason Bourne (2016), and Fast & Furious 6 (2013). His Taurus World Stunt Awards include a 2024 win for Best Speciality Stunt on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), recognised for a spectacular Glasgow sequence featuring no CGI, involving horses, motorcycles, and intricate chase choreography. He also won in 2022 for Best Work with a Vehicle on No Time to Die (2021) and in prior years for films such as Jason Bourne (2016).