The Academy was founded by Andreas Petrides in 2009.
Andreas is one of the UK’s leading Action Directors, Stunt Co-ordinators, Fight Arrangers and Stunt Performers.
His passion for sport started at a very young age when he began studying martial arts, gymnastics, riding motorcycles and mimicking action sequences from the movies. Andreas' professional career started as a live performance circus acrobat at the tender age of 14. Andreas performed as a screen martial artist, then learned to street dance this then led to him becoming the UK breakdance champion back in the mid-1980s.
He continued to advance his sporting skills and knowledge by studying period weaponry and becoming a County fencer and club coach.
With his passion for excitement and adventure, Andreas went on to serve with the Elite Parachute Regiment and Army Commando units and eventually achieved his goal of becoming a world-respected stunt performer.
His extensive stunt career spans over 30 years, on over 500 productions worldwide, having worked with some of the greatest Directors and Actors, including 25 Oscar winners. Andreas has proved himself to be one of the finest all-round stunt performer's of his generation, having performed and designed action sequences on some of the biggest franchises of all time, including: Bond 007, Bourne, Mission Impossible, Marvel & DC.
Andreas was the 2nd Unit Stunt Co-ordinator, Fight Arranger and Stunt Double to Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan Kenobi on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. In 1999, together with his colleague, he choreographed the epic battle sequences, trained the lead actors and doubled Joaquin Phoenix on Ridley Scott's epic Oscar-winning Gladiator.
In 2009 Andreas was inducted into the Hollywood Stuntmen’s Hall of Fame, recognising his outstanding achievements to the stunt & action industry in motion pictures.
For a list of Andreas' credits visit IMDB.com