Actor, fight instructor and stunt choreographer Lance Pimentel is no stranger to adrenaline. The national wushu champion and son of veteran action director Lester Pimentel has made a name for himself choreographing high-impact scenes and training stars for action-heavy roles — first for “Iron Heart” and then the primetime series “Incognito.”
“Action scenes, fight scenes — as an artist, that’s my art,” Lance said in an interview. “It’s my creative juice. I take pride in my work, from choreographing to editing. It’s like finishing a painting for me.”
Lance’s martial arts pedigree runs deep. He started training at five, joined the Philippine national team at age 11, and has since bagged multiple golds in international wushu competitions. He considers martial arts not just a discipline, but a way of life passed down from his grandfather, who still does Tai chi at age 80. “For us Pimentels, it’s a philosophy. It’s part of who we are.”
Despite holding a business technology management degree from the University of British Columbia, Lance chose to pursue showbiz. His first break came in “One Good Day” on Prime Video, but it’s in “Iron Heart” and “Incognito” where his action sensibilities truly shine. With seven main cast members, Lance had to choreograph complex fights, often with several actors battling in the same frame. “Unlike in ‘Iron Heart’ where it was just Richard [Gutierrez] all the way, here we had to train and teach multiple actors simultaneously.”
Lance was impressed by the dedication of the “Incognito” cast, particularly Daniel Padilla and Anthony Jennings, who had no prior martial arts experience. “They’re really good actors, and action scenes are not just about movement. It’s about storytelling through action. Their athleticism and love for MMA made teaching them easy.”
For the women in the cast like Maris Racal and Kaila Estrada, Lance took a different approach. “You have to be clever. It’s less about brute strength and more about technique, grappling and grace. Their movements need to be more fluid, more calculated. And they nailed it.”
One of the most difficult scenes he worked on was shot in sub-zero conditions in Japan. “I was acting in it, choreographing, assisting direction — doing everything with no rest. That, plus the freezing weather, made it physically and mentally draining.”
Lance draws inspiration from Jackie Chan, particularly for a fight scene involving an umbrella. “Jackie Chan uses his environment. That’s genius. It makes the scene real, grounded. I wanted to replicate that creativity.”
He also edited many of the fight scenes himself. “I enjoy sitting in the editing room, seeing everything come together—adding music, sound effects. It’s satisfying.”
Though his long-term dream is to produce a world-class Filipino action film, Lance is open to stepping in front of the camera when needed. “If I have to act or direct or choreograph to make that dream happen, I will.”
Outside showbiz, Lance helps run the family’s restaurant businesses and serves as their chief technology officer. “I balance both worlds. It’s tough, but with tech and some discipline, it works.”
Asked if he sees himself becoming a lead in an action movie, Lance replied with a smile, “It’s not really my dream, but who knows? Sometimes you daydream and wonder. Maybe if the opportunity comes.”
For now, he’s proud to be pushing the limits of what Filipino action can look like on screen. “We’re trying to compete with international productions, even without the luxury of rehearsals. We choreograph on the spot. Imagine what we could do if we had more time? There’s so much more we can achieve.”
Lance’s dream project? “To work on something on the level of Donnie Yen or Jackie Chan.”
