Acting Alum DL MacDonald Takes His Stunt Skills to the Big Screen in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein
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On September 8, Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated Frankenstein will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – and among the creative talent on screen will be the daring stunt work of a Toronto Film School graduate who has built a thriving career one leap, fall, and fight at a time.
DL MacDonald, a Class of 2006 Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre grad, is one of at least 22 TFS alumni with projects screening at TIFF’s milestone 50th edition this year. For MacDonald, landing stunt work on del Toro’s highly anticipated adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic was both a career highlight and a reminder of why he first fell in love with the craft.
“Working with del Toro is actually really chill,” MacDonald said of being on set with the Oscar-winning director. “He’s such an easygoing guy, but he really knows what he’s looking for…His use of practical effects was one of the joys of working on this film.”
Much of MacDonald’s work took place aboard a ship set rigged on a massive gimbal to simulate the ice-locked vessel of Shelley’s tale.
“It was rocking back and forth. I could bounce off any structure I wanted to,” he said of his stint doubling as the ship’s captain. “It was so nice not having to pretend in front of a green screen – it gave us something real to play with.”
From Nova Scotia to the Spotlight
MacDonald’s journey into the stunt world began long before his days at TFS. Growing up in Nova Scotia, he discovered Jackie Chan movies at age 15 and started shooting fight scenes with his cousins on a borrowed Hi8 camera. His classmates even dubbed him “Jackie Dan.”
By the time he enrolled at Toronto Film School, MacDonald already had a stunt reel and a dream of becoming an action actor. After graduation, he honed his skills performing as a knight at Medieval Times, before earning his first big professional stunt credit on Paul W.S. Anderson’s Pompeii. From there, the doors kept opening.
Today, his résumé boasts credits on an impressive roster of productions, including Murderbot, What We Do in the Shadows, Letterkenny, Reacher, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Handmaid’s Tale, Shoresy, Star Trek: Discovery, Reign, Shadowhunters, and Taken, to name just a few.
A Career Built on Resilience and Community
While audiences may never recognize him under armor or in split-second fight scenes, MacDonald embraces the behind-the-scenes nature of stunt work.
“I very highly doubt anyone will pick me out (in Frankenstein). I was only a small part of the movie,” he said of his chance opportunity to double for the ship’s captain. “But I got the opportunity to do it for Guillermo, who told me it was great. So that was a thrilling night.”
Also thrilling is knowing more eyes will be on his work, especially through TIFF. “It’s fun to know I’m not just playing to an audience of ten in my high school anymore.”
For MacDonald, the appeal of the job goes beyond the stunts themselves – it’s the community that keeps him coming back, he said. “It’s so much fun getting to do this with your friends, meeting new people, and working with actors who are often so gracious and excited to collaborate.”
Lessons from TFS and Words of Advice
Looking back, MacDonald credits his time at TFS with instilling in him some of the on-set lessons he still applies today.
“Breaking down a script with your intentions is always a key thing. And just knowing your way around a set is a big one, too. You don’t want to show up and think you’re the king of the set. You need to humble yourself and show up and listen. Those are skills I learned at TFS that serve me on every production.”
To aspiring stunt performers, he offers straightforward advice: “Film your stuff. When I started, I had to save up for MiniDV tapes. Now, you’ve got a camera in your pocket. Learn to edit, make a reel, and start showing your work. You don’t need crazy flips – just learn how to fall, how to react, and then hustle to meet coordinators. That’s where you begin.”
As TIFF audiences prepare to experience del Toro’s latest masterpiece, MacDonald will be hard at work on the set of Reacher. Whether doubling a star, crashing through glass, or helping craft the visceral action that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, his career is proof of what passion, persistence, and community can build.
