Jason Clarke Truly Performed Every Grueling Stunt in The Last Frontier's Epic Opening Scene—And No, We're Not Kidding!
Apple TV+
Braving the unforgiving wilderness of Alaska for "The Last Frontier" sounds like a nightmare in itself. Filmed primarily in Canada's bone-chilling cold, this Apple TV+ series subjected its cast and crew to conditions so extreme they'd never experienced anything like it. Then there's the plot: a transport plane carrying inmates mysteriously crashes, unleashing a horde of dangerous criminals. Enter U.S. Marshal Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke), the no-nonsense lawman tasked with hunting them down. Showrunners Jon Bokenkamp and Richard D'Ovidio also weave a complex web of intrigue around the enigmatic villain Levi Hartman (Dominic Cooper) and his CIA-linked associate Sidney Scofield (Haley Bennett). But among all these daunting challenges, nothing compares to the series' jaw-dropping premiere action sequence.
Now that "The Last Frontier" is available for streaming, I sat down with Clarke to unpack how he pulled off this unforgettable scene. When the transport plane goes down, Frank arrives as first responder—only to have dozens of jumpsuit-clad convicts erupt from the wreckage, igniting a brutal, chaotic brawl. Captured in a single breathtaking take by actor/stuntman/director Sam Hargrave (of "Extraction" fame), the sequence feels raw, dangerous, and terrifyingly real. I suspected some old-school Hollywood trickery might be involved—specifically the "Texas Switch" technique, where stunt doubles briefly replace actors during high-risk moves. So I asked Clarke directly. His response was both surprising and definitive:
"No Texas Switch here. [Pauses] Actually—there's one tiny snippet hidden in there. Try to spot it! [Laughs] But seriously, nobody else did my stunts. We rehearsed those scenes until we were blue in the face. They were insanely dangerous: flying fists, close-range explosions, helicopters, snow, hypothermia—you name it. But the stunt team and camera crew? Utter professionals. That moment set the entire tone for the show: this messy, gritty, ugly reality where things actually hurt. That's what Apple delivered, and frankly, that's exactly what I wanted more of."
But here's where it gets controversial: In an era where CGI and doubles dominate action filmmaking, Clarke's insistence on doing most of his own stunts feels almost radical. Is this dedication to realism worth the physical toll? And this is the part most people miss: Frank Remnick isn't some genetically enhanced superhero.
Apple TV+
While "The Last Frontier" features a powerhouse ensemble with jaw-dropping guest stars, Jason Clarke's Frank Remnick anchors the entire series. A man haunted by a complicated past, Frank juggles his high-stakes job with family life—wife Sarah (Simone Kessell) and son Luke (Tait Blum) who've already endured unimaginable hardships together. Yet what makes Frank compelling isn't his heroism, but his humanity. He's not a UFC champion like Georges St-Pierre, nor a bullet-dodging Neo from "The Matrix." He's an ordinary guy who keeps getting knocked down but refuses to stay there.
"Frank's in a street fight, not an action movie," Clarke explains. "He's absorbing way more punches than he's throwing. You feel that exhaustion when he finally stumbles onto the helicopter—like, 'Holy hell, we actually survived that.' That's the raw, unglamorous truth Apple and this show demanded. I wanted audiences to see that vulnerability."
This visceral approach to action raises the bar sky-high for the rest of the season—a challenge both the weathered character and his dedicated performer seem eager to meet. Just look at Clarke's commitment: bruised knuckles, frozen fingers, and near-hypothermia be damned. So here's our question to you: In an age of digital wizardry, should actors still risk life and limb for realism? Or has Hollywood gone too far in prioritizing physical authenticity? Sound off below—we want to hear your take!
