If memory serves, I believe it was showrunner David DiGilio who first suggested not just a cameo, but a cameo in which James Reece kills his creator.

Truth be told, I was hoping for a cameo knowing that sometimes authors show up in adaptations of their work: Stan Lee, Stephen King, John le Carré, and Lee Child, among others. Directors have gotten in on the fun as well with Alfred Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and a host of others making appearances large and small.

Stephen Hunter’s cameo as a gun store owner in Shooter, adapted from his novel Point of Impact, didn’t make the final cut of the film so I knew I had to make sure any cameo was in a scene central to the plot to ensure it made it through edits.

Getting put in the dirt by Chris Pratt in a scene that cements the idea of conspiratorial elements at work seemed to fit the bill.

So that was it, I would play Adrian Gordonis, a former Marine Raider and current TALOS security contractor attached to Capstone Industries.

I’d surveille James Reece to lunch with Katie Buranek, get spotted, and then open fire. It would not end well for me.

Action director extraordinaire MJ Bassett directed the episode.

Former Navy SEAL Keith Woulard blocked the car crash as the stunt coordinator. They wouldn’t let me crash the car which ended up working out because I got to meet my stunt double, the legendary Mic Rogers. He has done it all to include doubling Mel Gibson as Martin Riggs in one of my favorite films of all time – Lethal Weapon. He does the jump from the building where Army Special Forces veteran Riggs leaps off handcuffed to a suicidal businessman. It’s a classic!

George Sack had the vehicles ready to rock to include a 1988 FJ 62 Land Cruiser that looks eerily similar to mine…

Brigette Myre Sharpe painted on the bullet holes and touched them up between takes.

Former Marine Mike Panevics had the pistols ready to rock, pistols acquired by propmaster Gary Tuers of Xtreme Props. Chris and I both had Glocks with different Taran Tactical Innovations packages.

Former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza of War Office Productions was the technical advisor (watch for him to take a rough shot to the head in episode five). He and actor, producer, tech advisor and former Navy SEAL Jared Shaw worked with me and Chris on the scene and made it into what you see on screen today.

For more insights on my gunfight with Chris and other behind the scenes stories from the set, check out THE TERMINAL LIST PODCAST where I break down each episode of the series with showrunner David DiGilio and Jared Shaw. Not only do we have a blast talking about the journey that brought THE TERMINAL LIST to Prime Video, we also each learn things we didn’t know about the production over the course of the podcast.

In real life would Chris have come out on top in this engagement? What do you think?

Check out the podcast below and be sure to watch the eight-part series now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.