To say I am obsessed with the WaterWorld stunt spectacular is to put it lightly. Every time I visit the Universal Studios Hollywood, I make it a point to experience it. And WaterWorld is always my first recommendation when I meet someone visiting Universal Studios Hollywood for the first time. This 20-minute show is full of jet skis, stunts, incredible fights, 50-foot explosions, and a huge seaplane crashing into the water right before your eyes. It’s incredible! No matter how many times I’ve seen it, the show leaves me clinging to the edge of my seat, wondering: How do they do it? How do they pull off such an incredible performance each and every time?
I got the chance to sit down with Action Horizons creative manager Cody Haefner and manager of entertainment Gilbert Mata, who gave me a behind-the-scenes peek into the amazing stunt spectacular that is WaterWorld.
Action-Packed Performances
WaterWorld has been delighting fans since 1995, making it the second-longest running attraction at the theme park (after The World-Famous Studio Tour, of course). With such a long history, it’s no surprise the show has evolved over the years. Gilbert Mata, who has been part of the WaterWorld crew since opening day, can attest to this.
As of 2014, the production company Action Horizons is in charge of overseeing show quality and hiring performers. All four founders of Action Horizons have a history working as stunt performers at Universal Studios Hollywood. Two of them were even in the original 1995 WaterWorld cast. When Action Horizons assumed oversight of the show, they made slight adjustments to the overall story and action sequences.
“I think one of the major points of pride in terms of the changes that the owners of Action Horizons made was that they wanted to highlight Helen,” Cody Haefner says. “They made small tweaks to the original [stunt show] script to make her more of a hero versus a damsel in distress.”
Training for Atoll Life
As a creative manager, Cody is in charge of casting new actors, oversees their training, and conducts rehearsals. Working closely with fight coordinators and action supervisors, Cody makes sure that the actors learn everything there is to know about their role. He also utilizes his theater background to help bring out every actor’s best performance.
“Action Horizons wanted someone to help these stunt performers — some of which have been water-skiers their whole lives but have never actually acted in a show — perform.” Cody says. “I help them play this character because even though WaterWorld is an amazing stunt show, it’s also a piece of theater, right? We tell a story from beginning to end.”
New actors are hired once every year. They spend four weeks rehearsing before they’re ready to bring the show to an audience. They spend a week off-site, training on both action sequences and the performance elements of the show. This includes learning the stunt show script and getting into character. They then spend 3 weeks training on set at Universal Studios Hollywood, late at night, after the theme park closes.
Each actor receives training on every individual element of their performance. For those of us who’ve seen the show, we know just how much can happen concurrently at any given time. When the Mariner is introduced in the show, for example, he launches from underwater on a jet ski as the Smokers shoot at him. In that minute, the Mariner is riding his jet ski, dodging the Smokers, throwing streams of water into the audience. There are so many moving parts working together to create this one scene, from the sound effects matching each actors’ actions, to the jet skis moving swiftly through the entire pool.
Want all the need-to-knows about this stunt spectacular? Check out the Discover Universal Attraction Guide for WaterWorld.
These performers are not only learning their lines, they’re practicing being on the jet skis and going through sub launches (when a jet ski launches from underwater). They rehearse the different pyrotechnic elements each actor is exposed to and some of them practice plunging into the water from 45 feet in the air. As they get further into rehearsals, they start putting all these elements together until they’ve got the entire show down.
Of course, with all of the explosions and jaw-dropping stunts the actors have to pull off, they also receive rigorous safety training. Every actor has a manual that covers each stunt they do, and they’re specifically trained for each one. Not only do they learn their own stunts, but they also learn about every stunt that they have to interact with. “So, there are some stunts that a performer might not participate in but they’re the nearest performer,” Cody says. “So, they’re the first safety in case anything goes wrong.”
For example, if one actor does a wild stunt — say, they catch on fire, which does safely happen in every production of WaterWorld — their castmate nearest to them during that stunt is trained on how to help their fellow castmate in case of an emergency.
The Crash Landing
Speaking of doing something wild, I had to ask about the craziest stunt in the show: launching a giant plane almost directly at the audience!
For this moment to play out, multiple parts need to function all at once, including pyro and sound effects. The plane itself is hydraulically driven (meaning it is powered by water) and sits on a piece of roller coaster track just behind the stage. “It essentially rides the piece of roller coaster track and launches over to the other side.” Gilbert says.
As soon as the show comes to its pinnacle, the plane launches at about 25 to 30 mph and lands perfectly in the water, leaving audiences (or at least, the audience member writing this article) speechless. Gilbert smiles. “You know, when the show started in ‘95, the technology was so advanced that we’re still using the same [type of] technology to this day. It’s amazing.”
Standing the Test of Time
WaterWorld has been running for over 30 years, and it remains one of the most beloved attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood. In Cody’s opinion, it’s not just the story and the special effects, but the actors are also an integral part of what makes the show so successful. No matter how many times you watch WaterWorld, it’s always a different show because every actor brings something unique to their character.
“WaterWorld is a training ground for new stunt performers, but most of them are working professionally in Hollywood.” Cody says. “One of the reasons why WaterWorld has stuck around is that we have such incredible talent here in terms of performers. They’re giving an amazing show every day.”
The show has been so successful at Universal Studios Hollywood that over the years, it has been staged at Universal Studios Singapore, Universal Studios Beijing and Universal Studios Japan. “I think a part of it is that they don’t exist anymore.” Cody says. “You know, big stunt shows with amazing effects like this. They’ve disappeared across the country. WaterWorld is one of the last ones left.”
Full of thrills, great acting, and memorable moments, WaterWorld is a must-see for anybody visiting Universal Studios Hollywood. Come check it out on your next visit!
Have you seen WaterWorld? Tell us your favorite part in the comments below.
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