If you’ve ever watched a car flip mid-chase in Sicario, flinched during a firefight in 12 Strong, or wondered how the Cobra Kai cast pulls off those brutal dojo brawls without breaking a bone, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen Cannon Smith at work — even if you didn’t know his name.
Cannon Smith is a Hollywood stunt performer born on October 21, 1990, in Memphis, Tennessee. Over the past decade, he’s built a career doing the physically demanding, camera-invisible work that makes action films feel real. This is not to be confused with other people who share his name — including a former college football player and the son of FedEx founder Fred Smith. This post is specifically about the stuntman known for his work in Sicario, Cobra Kai, and Ghosted.
Here’s a closer look at who he is, how his career developed, and why his work matters to the films and shows you already love.
Who Is Cannon Smith?
Cannon Smith was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, before eventually moving into stunt work in the film and television industry. Unlike actors who work primarily in front of the camera for dialogue-driven roles, stunt performers like Smith specialize in the physical side of storytelling: fight choreography, falls, vehicle work, and controlled chaos designed to look uncontrolled on screen.
On a personal note, Smith has been married to Collins Tuohy since April 2016, a detail that occasionally draws curious searchers who recognize her from The Blind Side — but his own body of work stands firmly on its own.
Breakout Role: Sicario (2015)
Smith’s stunt work first drew wider attention with Sicario (2015), the tense cartel-thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro. The film is remembered for its taut, high-stakes action sequences — the kind that rely heavily on precise stunt coordination to feel both grounded and dangerous. Smith’s contribution to that realism helped establish him within the industry as someone capable of delivering the intensity a film like Sicario demands.
Expanding Filmography: Military Dramas and Franchise Work
After Sicario, Smith’s career expanded across a range of genres, with a noticeable concentration in military and action dramas:
- Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) — returning to the franchise that helped launch his stunt career, again alongside Brolin and Del Toro
- 12 Strong (2018) — a war drama following U.S. Special Forces in the aftermath of 9/11
- Only the Brave (2017) — a firefighting drama based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots
- Devotion (2022) — a Korean War-era aviation drama starring Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors
- Westworld (2016, TV) — HBO’s genre-blending sci-fi western series
This cluster of military and high-stakes dramas suggests a specialization: Smith has become a go-to performer for productions requiring tactical realism, controlled violence, and physically demanding sequences grounded in real-world combat and rescue scenarios.
The Cobra Kai Connection
One of the more fan-relevant chapters of Smith’s career is his stunt work on Cobra Kai (2021–2022), the hit sequel series to The Karate Kid. Working as a stunt double for cast members including Aedin Mincks and Paul Walter Hauser, Smith helped bring the show’s escalating dojo rivalries and tournament fights to life.
For the massive Cobra Kai fanbase — which spans original Karate Kid nostalgia audiences and a newer generation of Netflix viewers — this is arguably the most recognizable entry on his résumé, even if his name isn’t the one fans immediately associate with the show.
Recent Work: Ghosted (2023) and Road House (2024)
Smith’s more recent credits show a continued upward trajectory:
- Ghosted (2023) — an action-comedy starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, blending romantic comedy beats with spy-thriller action
- Road House (2024) — the Amazon MGM reboot of the 1989 action classic
Working across both Marvel-adjacent star power (Evans) and legacy action franchises (Road House) reflects the kind of range that keeps a stunt performer working consistently in a competitive industry.
What Makes a Great Stunt Performer?
Cannon Smith’s career offers a useful window into what the stunt profession actually demands. Unlike acting roles built around performance and delivery, stunt work requires:
- Precision under physical risk — every fall, hit, or crash must be executed exactly the same way across multiple takes
- Trust and communication with directors and coordinators — stunts are meticulously planned, rehearsed, and safety-checked before filming
- Versatility across genres — from cartel thrillers to war dramas to martial arts television, adaptability keeps performers working
- Physical longevity — building a career that spans a decade or more, as Smith has, requires managing injury risk over time
For anyone considering stunt work as a career path, filmographies like Smith’s illustrate how performers build credibility: not through a single breakout role, but through consistent, reliable work across a range of demanding productions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Cannon Smith the stuntman? Cannon Smith is a Hollywood stunt performer born in 1990 in Memphis, Tennessee, known for his work in Sicario, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, 12 Strong, Only the Brave, Devotion, Cobra Kai, and Ghosted.
Is Cannon Smith related to the FedEx founder? No. There is a different individual, also named Cannon Smith, who is the son of FedEx founder Fred Smith. The stuntman discussed in this article is a separate person with no confirmed relation.
What was Cannon Smith’s breakout project? His stunt work in Sicario (2015) is widely considered the project that helped establish his reputation in the industry.
Did Cannon Smith work on Cobra Kai? Yes. He served as a stunt double for cast members on Cobra Kai during its 2021–2022 seasons.
Conclusion
Cannon Smith’s career traces a clear arc: a Memphis-born performer who broke into the industry through Sicario, built a reputation across military and action dramas like 12 Strong, Only the Brave, and Devotion, then extended his reach into television with Westworld and Cobra Kai before landing recent work in Ghosted and Road House. That progression — from a single standout project to a decade of consistent, varied credits — is exactly what separates a working stunt professional from a one-off performer.
He represents the kind of behind-the-scenes talent that action cinema depends on but rarely spotlights. From cartel shootouts in Sicario to dojo showdowns in Cobra Kai and comedic spy chaos in Ghosted, his body of work reflects the range, reliability, and physical discipline that define a lasting stunt career in Hollywood.
Next time you watch a scene that makes you wince, duck, or hold your breath, there’s a good chance a performer like Cannon Smith made it possible.
Have a favorite stunt sequence from any of the films mentioned above? Let us know in the comments — and check out our related post on the unsung stunt performers behind your favorite action franchises.
