From Stunt Work to Storytelling: The Legend of Johnnie Swann with Zac Baldwin

Zac Baldwin has lived a life most novelists could only invent: a dancer turned choreographer, a live-action stunt performer in old-west reenactments, a street-fighting self-defense instructor, and eventually a novelist. His latest book, The Legend of Johnnie Swann, features a kickass female street fighter and honors the stories of real Vietnam veterans who asked him to fictionalize their experiences and tell them to the world.In this episode, Zac shares how a childhood obsession with a Fred Astaire musical led him into decades of dance, stunt work, and stage writing, why he refused to change his female action lead to male despite being offered good money to do so, and how real veterans' stories became the foundation for Johnnie Swann's fighting style. He also talks about his years bouncing between odd jobs while chasing a career in Hollywood.What We Talked About:From a Fred Astaire musical at age 6 to a lifetime in the artsChoreographing and performing in old-west stunt showsRefusing to change his female lead character to maleHow real Vietnam veterans' stories shaped Johnnie SwannBouncing between odd jobs while chasing HollywoodConnect with Zac Baldwin:Book: available on Barnes & NobleEmail: [email protected]