Hollywood stuntman Tony McFarr, prominently renowned for partnering up with Chris Pratt in franchises like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, was only 47 years old when the news of his untimely passing broke in May 2024.
Paying tribute to his former stunt double, Pratt wrote on his Instagram Stories: “Devastated to hear about the loss of my friend and former stunt double Tony McFarr. We did several movies together. We golfed, drank whiskey, smoked cigars, and spent endless hours on set.”
He also added, “I’ll never forget his toughness. I remember he took a nasty shot to the head (in the title sequence of Guardians 2) and got several staples in his head – he came right back to work ready to go again. He was an absolute stud. He was always a gentleman and professional. He’ll be missed. My prayers go out to his friends and family, especially his daughter.”
At the time of his demise, the circumstances of his death weren’t known. His mother, Donna, told TMZ in May that his passing was unexpected and shocking. The Orange County Medical Examiner had his case and was running toxicology tests to determine the cause of his death.
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Tony McFarr’s cause of death revealed
As of August 21, the outlet has now offered an update on the matter. In documents obtained from the Medical Examiner in Florida, an irregular heartbeat due to an issue with his heart valves has officially been declared the cause of the performer’s death.
The medical examiner has also listed other contributing factors, such as alcohol poisoning and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common lung disease restricting airflow, leading to breathing problems. His autopsy confirms that he has a history of excessive alcohol abuse. At the time of his body’s examination, his Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was marked as a concentration of 0.29%. (The legal limit for driving is listed as 0.08% in most states.)
The 47-year-old stuntman’s body was discovered in his home. The medical examiner claims that he has probably been dead for some time before that as his body was decomposing before they took it in for examination.
About Tony McFarr, who stepped in as a stunt double for Chris Pratt and other Hollywood stars
Tony was often spotted on Chris Pratt’s social media platforms, as the actor credited him with numerous shout-outs. The daredevil reportedly paired up with Pratt for Jurassic World in 2015, again joining him in Passengers, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.
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He is also credited with a short acting career, as he played minor roles in TV shows such as One Tree Hill, Macgyver, and Burn Notice.
In addition to doubling for Pratt, McFarr performed stunts in Teen Wolf, Homeland, The Hunger Games Mockingjay—Part 1, Furious 7, Allegiant, Captain America: Civil War, The Accountant, and other films. His stunt career launched in 2011 in an episode of the hit TV series Bones. He also stunt doubled for Jon Hamm in Tag (2018) and Brendan Fraser in The Poison Race (2019).
The former stuntman opened a few restaurants in Florida during the final chapters of his life. One such place was Reel Bowls, a film-themed poke and salad eatery near Orlando.
According to TMZ, he is survived by his daughter, sister and parents. He’s reportedly buried near his grandmother in Pennsylvania.
