Wolfgang Stegemann (b. 1974)
Birthplace:
Berlin, Germany
Born:
March 16, 1974
Wolfgang Stegemann is a stunt coordinator, fight choreographer, and second-unit director. Stegemann was born on March 16, 1974, in Berlin, Germany. Standing at 1.89 m (6 ft 2½ in), his early work encompassed roles as a stunt performer, rigging coordinator, and fight choreographer, with credits on international productions like Don – The King Is Back (2011), Ninja Assassin (2009), V for Vendetta (2005), and Edge of Tomorrow (2014). As he built his reputation in the stunt community, his fluency in both German and English, combined with his expertise in wire work, high falls, martial arts, precision driving, and fire stunts, made him a sought-after coordinator and fight director. By the mid-2010s, Stegemann had transitioned into second-unit direction and stunt coordination on high-profile Hollywood productions. Notably, he served as fight choreographer, utility stunt performer, and stunt/rigger coordinator on Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), went on to contribute to Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018), coordinated fights for Men in Black: International and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), and was involved in The Mummy (2017). His fight and stunt expertise also extended to Phoenix (2014), Victoria (2015, for which he was second-unit director and stunt coordinator), and Luther – The Fallen Sun and The Witcher Season 3 in 2022–2023. Throughout his career, Stegemann has been recognised by his peers for his contributions to action filmmaking. He earned nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2016) and Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2019), winning the same award in 2024 for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One, reflecting his long-standing collaboration on the franchise. At the Taurus World Stunt Awards, he was nominated for Don 2 (2012) and The Mummy (2018), and notably won Best Stunt Rigging for Mission: Impossible – Fallout in 2019. In addition to industry accolades, Stegemann received the Webby Award in 2024 for "People's Voice – Viral" for his immersive work as a second-unit director on The Witcher Season 3. His directorial prowess in shorter forms was celebrated in 2023 when he won Best Director for an Action Short Film at the Best Film Awards and received a nomination for Best Male Director at the Cannes World Film Festival, both for "Andrea Alive." Stegemann's directorial short film, Limitless, garnered multiple wins in 2025, including Best Director and Best Short Film at the Dubai International Cine Carnival Film Festival, a Certificate of Achievement at the Berlin Motion Picture Awards, and Outstanding Achievement in both Best Director and Short Film at the Swedish Academy of Motion Picture Awards. Outside the spotlight, he maintains a robust international career, often working and based in Berlin with ties to global production hubs—including London, Los Angeles, and across Europe and North America—and holds memberships in the Directors Guild of America, Equity UK, Screen Actors Guild, the Taurus World Stunt Academy, and more.