Los Angeles-based Filipino fight choreographer One Carlos Eleazar is bringing Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) to the international stage with the upcoming action film, “8Rx.”
Photo courtesy: 8Rx
Not only is he choreographing the Hollywood film’s intense fight sequences but he’s also taking on the lead role, starring alongside acclaimed actors John Rhys-Davies (“Indiana Jones” and “Lord of the Rings”) and Elya Baskin (“Spider-Man 2” and “Spider-Man 3”).
John Rhys-Davies and Elya Baskin | Photo courtesy: Fandom
Helmed by Grant Rosado, who has been recognized by The Golden Globes, “8Rx” highlights the dynamic artistry and combat effectiveness of FMA to Hollywood.
As the driving force behind this project, Eleazar is championing Filipino representation in both the martial arts and cinematic landscapes.
Eleazar’s Journey Into Fight Choreography
Eleazar’s journey into fight choreography is rooted in his background in sports and athletics. Born and raised in the Philippines, he commenced training as a martial arts athlete with the Philippine National Police (PNP) sports team, Pulis Arnis Akademya (PARAK), under Grandmaster Ruel Gatbonton in 2016.
By that time, he had already secured seven gold medals, specializing in ratratan/continuous/live stick events. He was also tapped to train the Vietnamese Arnis Team during the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
“Grandmaster Ruel Gatbonton’s teachings have acted as my jumping point into fight choreography. When I trained for tournaments I was trained to give an entertaining performance as a fighter. And so my inner stuntman began to cultivate as my mentor and I would cultivate and workshop different special moves to utilize in tournaments,” he told WhenInManila.com.
Photo courtesy: 8Rx
Eleazar’s experience as an athlete and assistant coach has allowed him to adapt drills like engkwentro into “calibration drills” for stunt performers, ensuring precise rhythmic synchronization. This dedication to FMA is crucial to “8Rx,” as he strives to make the martial arts the primary element of the action.
“I have used my experience as an athlete and an assistant coach under him to direct people as a fight choreographer while using the skills that I picked up to choreograph my fight scenes,” he added.
Bringing Filipino Martial Arts to Hollywood
Eleazar immigrated to Miami, Florida, during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue his training. He was then chosen to perform and choreograph the fight scenes for the 2024 film “Puffing Iron,” which was featured in the Miami Film Festival. This opportunity led him to collaborate with Rosado, who co-directed the film.
“Since I was one of two stuntmen present in the project to choreograph the fight scenes, we worked hand in hand with the directors to ensure our collaborative vision could be met. Having spoken with Grant what drew him to FMA was how visceral and intense FMA is as a martial art and for choreography,” he continued.
Photo courtesy: One Carlos Eleazar
Eleazer and Rosado have been working on “8Rx” for over two years. Notably, they managed to develop and rehearse the fight scenes remotely, despite being located in different countries.
“At the time the stunt team was based in Miami, Florida while the director was based in Los Angeles, California. We had three months to develop and rehearse the fight while being faced with the challenge of figuring out how the director could get involved despite being across both ends of the country,” he shared.
“So we developed a method where we created the choreography and then recorded the fight in a single take from four different angles which would be sent to the director. By the time he arrived in Miami, Florida to shoot, we would all execute the plan accordingly.”
How Eleazar Balances Fight Choreography and Acting
Taking on the roles of fight choreographer and lead actor brings exciting and unique challenges for Eleazar. With a background in theater and performing arts, he was well-equipped for the acting aspect of the role. However, choreographing and executing intricate fight sequences simultaneously presented layers of complexity to his work.
“Since I tell a story through physicality and fighting, I am writing my own characters through choreography. Doing that for specific characters is straightforward enough, however, the most challenging part would be to communicate this in fight scenes with multiple people as this type of complexity adds a lot more moving pieces to the choreography,” he explained.
“Not only do I have to tell a story, but I must tell it consistently to the scene, moment-to-moment theme, and the characters whether generic or unique.”
Photo courtesy: 8Rx
As a Filipino, Eleazer emphasized that resilience is one of the most valuable aspects reflected in FMA. He incorporates this adaptability into his choreography by using the environment as a “weapon” for his character.
“A valuable aspect of our cultural heritage that I have seen time and time again is our creative/adaptive sense of resilience. In either negative or positive circumstances, we demonstrate our capability to find solutions in the most crafty ways,” he noted.
“This is a cultural trait that is reflected in Filipino Martial Arts. Though it is known for stick work, it can be used with an open hand, knives, machetes, or virtually any object. So to reflect this in the choreography of the film, I incorporated the environment as one of the ‘weapons’ of the main character.”
What We Know So Far About “8Rx”
Although Eleazar, Davies, and Baskin’s roles remain under wraps as of this writing, viewers can expect a deeper narrative in “8Rx,” which delves into themes of overcoming disappointment and upholding idealistic principles.
“We want to tell a story of how our main character is raised to pursue idealistic principles to be met with disappointment and how he rises above that disappointment. Making the point that even though our expectations can fall short, there is still value in upholding our idealistic principles,” the Filipino fight choreographer underscored.
Slated for release in October 2026, “8Rx” follows the story of two undercover cops investigating a pharmaceutical company involved in smuggling drugs to street dealers.
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To support the film and raise development and pre-production funds, a Kickstarter campaign has been launched on March 19 (Philippine time).
Eleazar concluded the interview with insightful advice for aspiring Filipino martial artists and filmmakers eager to break into the industry, saying:
“The industry is a constantly changing and evolving world. No matter where you are you will always be learning something new. So, simply take the initiative as a filmmaker. Whether or not you go to film, stunt, or acting school just simply start working and experimenting with what you’ve got to improve from there.”
Through “8Rx,” Eleazar is breaking barriers, proving that Filipino talent and martial arts deserve a spotlight in Hollywood’s action genre.
For updates, follow “8Rx’s” official social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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