Love Hurts Director Jonathan 'JoJo' Eusebio Discusses Stunts and Romance

      Director Jonathan “JoJo” Eusebio transitioned to filmmaking from martial arts: In the ’90s, he studied at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts in the Los Angeles area, where he became acquainted with fellow martial artists David Leitch and Chad Stahelski.

      Feeling like a “little brother,” Eusebio observed as they evolved into stuntmen, stunt coordinators, and directors over the years. They worked together on John Wick, after which Stahelski directed the franchise's sequels, while Leitch took the helm for films like Deadpool 2, Bullet Train, and The Fall Guy.

      Eusebio made his way to Hollywood, accumulating credits on films such as Collateral and Iron Man 2, alongside the Bourne and Pirates of the Caribbean series. He became part of the stunt choreography team at 87North, a production company established by Leitch and his wife, producer Kelly McCormack.

      Similar to Stahelski and Leitch, Eusebio progressed from performing stunts to serving as a second unit director, who is responsible for overseeing action sequences that typically do not involve the main cast on set.

      “I’m very fortunate to be able to call David or Chad for advice whenever I need it,” Eusebio tells MovieMaker. McCormack, who has credits like Atomic Blonde and The Fall Guy, also played a significant role in Eusebio’s career, acting as his manager. He remembers her encouraging him, saying, “You must start considering your future. Directing should be on your mind.”

      One of the scripts she presented to him was the lively romantic action film Love Hurts, featuring a mild-mannered real estate agent named Marvin (Ke Huy Quan), who faces his violent past when an ex-criminal partner named Rose (Ariana DeBose) reappears. This film represents Eusebio’s directorial debut and is currently showing in theaters.

      Eusebio appreciated the concept and the unique characters of the Love Hurts script, crafted by Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, and Luke Passmore. He was eager to infuse the film with emotional depth and dynamic action.

      “When you’re working as a second unit, you enter a situation where the parameters are already established, and you must operate within those limits,” Eusebio explains to MovieMaker. “However, as a main unit director, you have to set all the rules and make all the decisions, resulting in significantly more pressure.”

      Eusebio and the film’s producers were deliberating potential actors for the role of Marvin while Quan was gaining acclaim for his performance in Everything, Everywhere All at Once, which won seven Oscars in 2023, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Quan. It marked a remarkable return for the former child star of The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. “I watched him on screen and thought everyone loved him; I was a fan of his growing up. I thought, ‘That’s the guy! We should cast him,’” Eusebio recalls. “I was aware of his action background, so I knew he could handle it. The challenge was making sure the world recognized his ability.” He quickly came to realize the immense responsibility that directing a film entails.

      “I wasn’t ready for how all-consuming it would be. I lived with this film in my mind for two years, so by the time we received the green light, I had already immersed myself in this story for quite a while.”

      He learned that patience is crucial in directing.

      “When I discuss stunts and second-unit directing, the outcomes can be immediate, allowing for quick results. But directing involves a prolonged process; you don’t truly know how the film will turn out until the editing is completed or when it’s finally screened in theaters. My favorite part of the process is watching the movie and seeing its impact on the audience.”

      The greatest challenge in directing a feature was managing time constraints, even with extended shooting days.

      “Sometimes those days can stretch from twelve to fourteen to sixteen hours,” Eusebio notes. “You endeavor to capture as much as possible toward the end of filming. Those days accumulate quickly. There’s so much to address as you near the completion of a shoot, and it can be tiring, but the rewards are significant.”

      He mentions that he “didn’t have an extended shooting schedule. You need actors who can repetitively perform action in a short span of time. I lacked the luxury of spending considerable time refining scenes or sequences.”

      Amidst the new challenges of directing, Eusebio could not handle the stunts for the film. Fortunately, he had a reliable team of stunt professionals with whom he had collaborated for a decade, including stunt designer and coordinator Can Aydin.

      “The team I worked with when I was a stunt coordinator… they were there for this project. As I transitioned to directing, they filled the roles I