The world of The Boys is a chaotic carnival of superpowered egos, corporate conspiracies, and explosive showdowns that leave jaws on the floor. At the heart of this Prime Video juggernaut is a team of vigilantes taking on rogue superheroes—known as Supes—who wield their powers with reckless abandon. From skyscraper-shattering brawls to blood-soaked betrayals, every episode is a high-wire act of storytelling and spectacle. And no one knows that tightrope better than John Koyama, the Emmy-nominated supervising stunt coordinator who makes the show’s jaw-dropping action feel like a “bloody ballet.” In a lively chat with AMFM Magazine’s Paul Salfen, Koyama pulls back the curtain on the madness, mastery, and camaraderie that fuel The Boys, a series that’s as much about heart as it is about havoc.
“It’s cool, it’s crazy, and it’s an absolute joy to work on,” Koyama says with a grin you can hear over the phone, his energy crackling like one of Homelander’s laser blasts. Nominated for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Drama Programming at the 2025 Emmys—his second nod after winning in 2023—Koyama is the mastermind behind the show’s most pulse-pounding sequences. From the Splinter Prime fight to the flat iron sequence that earned his stunt team an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Stunt Performance, Koyama’s work turns The Boys into a visceral thrill ride. “When the scripts come in, we’re like, ‘Oh boy, here we go,’” he laughs. “The cast, the crew, we’re all like, ‘Did you read this? Do you know what we have to do?’”
Based on the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys follows a ragtag group of vigilantes led by Billy Butcher, battling the Seven, a corrupt superhero team backed by the sinister Vought International. The show’s blend of satire, grit, and over-the-top action has made it a cultural phenomenon, and Koyama’s choreography is its beating heart. “We do so many wire gags, big wire gags,” he says, still buzzing from the chaos of Season 4. “The flat iron sequence, the Splinter Prime fight, and the bunker sequence in the finale—those were the toughest. My team crushed it, and the cast? They brought their A-game.” The flat iron sequence, featured in the episode “The Insider,” earned performers Jennifer Murray, River Godland, Alec Back, and Moses Nyarko an Emmy nod, a testament to Koyama’s ability to make the impossible look effortless.
Koyama’s journey to The Boys began with martial arts films, where he honed his craft as a performer for nearly two decades before stepping into fight choreography and stunt coordination. “I started on small martial arts films, then moved to coordinating fights, then full-on stunt coordinating,” he says. “Now I’m second-unit directing, action directing—it’s been a long road.” That road wasn’t always smooth. Koyama’s “Hail Mary” moment came early in his career when he landed his first stunt job with no clue what he was doing. “I was like, ‘What the f—, just go for it!’” he recalls, laughing. “I got my SAG card, did the fight, and it worked out. Then, years later, coordinating my first show solo? You wonder, ‘Am I ready? Can I carry this?’ You just trust yourself and go.”
That leap of faith defines Koyama’s approach to The Boys, where every stunt is a calculated risk. “It’s a Supe show, so every reaction is bigger than human,” he explains. “A punch isn’t just a punch—it’s someone getting thrown through a wall or a window. We design it as safe as we can, but it’s stunts. You’re gonna get banged up—stitches, broken bones, concussions. It’s the nature of the beast.” When actors get eager to try their own stunts, Koyama plays the diplomat. “Some are like, ‘I can do that!’” he says. “The vets? They’re like, ‘Nope, let my double handle it.’ But the cast learns all the choreography top to bottom. The doubles only step in for the dangerous stuff.”
Safety is Koyama’s north star, a lesson rooted in his father’s wisdom. “My dad’s voice is in my head: ‘You’ve done your homework, crossed your T’s, dotted your I’s. You’re here for a reason. Believe in yourself and go,’” he says. “We want huge, epic sequences, but the goal is everyone goes home at night. That’s our mantra.” It’s a mantra that resonates with the collaborative spirit of The Boys. “It takes all of us—writers, Eric Kripke, the cast, the crew,” Koyama says. “When we got nominated, when we won in 2023, I was so proud of the family we’ve built.”
The stunts in The Boys aren’t just spectacle—they’re storytelling. Koyama plans each sequence with cardboard mockups and previsualizations, ensuring every punch and explosion serves the narrative. “The flat iron sequence, that was a beast,” he says, pride in his voice. “The bunker sequence in the finale, directed by Kripke? Unbelievable. I can’t believe what we pulled off in one episode of TV.” Without spoiling Season 5, Koyama teases that it’s “a monster—insane, incredible.” Fans can also look forward to Vought Rising, a prequel series in production, and Gen V Season 2, set to air around September 17, 2025.
For aspiring stunt performers, Koyama’s advice is simple but fierce: “Perseverance, know your craft, stay humble, stay hungry. It’s a long haul, but never quit.” He didn’t have industry connections growing up—just a love for TV and a dream. “I watched shows and thought, ‘I want to do that.’ It’s about keeping at it, no matter what.” His passion for the craft shines through, as does his gratitude for the stunt community’s growing recognition. “Seeing stunts get Emmys, even talks of Oscars? That’s huge for us,” he says.
As The Boys heads into its final season, Koyama carries a memory that defines his time on the show: the team’s unity. “One sequence takes everyone—writers, cast, crew,” he says. “When we got that Emmy nod, that win, it was for all of us. That’s what I’ll take with me.” With The Boys earning four Emmy nominations in 2025, including Koyama’s for stunt coordination and his team’s for stunt performance, the spotlight is on their fearless artistry. “It’s insane television,” Koyama says, his voice alight with excitement. “And we’re just getting started.” Tune in to the Emmys on September 14, 2025, to see if Koyama and his team bring home another win—and brace yourself for the wild ride of The Boys Season 5.
