Inside Ana de Armas' brutal training for 'Ballerina' with Keanu Reeves' stunt double
When Ana de Armas signed on for Ballerina —the spin-off set in the world of John Wick —she knew this wouldn't just be another action role. The brutality, the emotional weight, and the balletic precision of the franchise demanded a transformation that went far beyond choreography. With guidance from veteran stunt performer and coordinator Jackson Spidell, who has played Keanu Reeves' stunt double for John Wick, de Armas immersed herself in a physically punishing and emotionally exacting journey that blurred the lines between dancer and warrior.
Her transformation began at 87eleven, the stunt and fight choreography studio behind John Wick. There, de Armas trained for over two months under Spidell's supervision—logging up to five hours a day in martial arts, judo, wrestling, reaction drills, gunplay (with a focus on the CAR system), and learning to fall and recover like a pro.
In a MotionPictures interview, Spidell recalled how the sessions were 'relentless,' designed not just to build technique but to mimic the fatigue and chaos her character would experience onscreen.
"When we rehearse these fights, we break them down into parts. Rehearse that four or five times," he said. "That endurance is important because these are intricate fights. Halfway through filming, something might go wrong or someone forgets something, and you have to get right up and start from the beginning again. Over and over."
The training continued in Prague, where production was based, and de Armas kept up the same tempo: sweat, bruises, repetition—and determination.
Rather than mimic John Wick's cold, calculating efficiency, Ballerina demanded a different combat psychology. De Armas' character would use anything at hand—pans, chairs, surroundings—to survive.
"It's like if you had a little sister, and she tried to fight me and four of my friends, how is she going to beat us? By cheating. By using your environment," Spidell said. "So we really wanted to play it as a cat and mouse [situation] where Eve is just this really smart mouse."
The action was designed to evolve with the character's arc—starting off raw and reactive, and becoming more refined and deliberate as her journey progressed.
Off-camera, de Armas showed a deep emotional commitment to the role. 'She wore her bruises like badges,' Spidell said, noting her toughness and willingness to throw herself fully into each scene. 'And it's funny because she could be so intense during the fight scenes, but as soon as you say 'Cut,' she'll be laughing and light. Ana is one of those actors who's able to turn it on and off."
Ballerina was released on June 5 in UAE cinemas and is still showing in select theatres. In addition to de Armas, the film also stars Norman Reedus.
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