How did Dave Lea die? Tributes pour in as Batman stuntman passes away at 67 

Famous stuntman Dave Lea recently passed away at the age of 67. He was mostly known as the stunt double for Michael Keaton in the 1989 film, Batman. An official statement issued on Lea’s Facebook page stated:

“It is with deep sorrow, that we announce the passing of Dave Lea on 6th August 2022 at 17:55 following a short illness. He passed on surrounded by his loved ones. Your kind words and wishes are appreciated at this time.”

Detailed information on his funeral shall be disclosed soon.

A source close to Dave revealed that he died from cancer. The statement on his Facebook page clearly states that he was surrounded by his loved ones, so he was likely not hospitalized at the time of death.

For now, it remains unknown if Lea was suffering from any other health issues. Meanwhile, there is no information on when he was diagnosed with cancer.

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A brief look at Dave Lea's career

Dave Lea worked with some well-known faces from Hollywood (Image via Dave Lea/Facebook)

Although his date of birth remains unknown, Lea started his martial arts training when he was a teen. His mentors included Dan Inosanto, who trained under Bruce Lee and Joseph Cheng.

He soon started working in television and played a recurring role in the famous show, EastEnders. He then auditioned for Batman and worked as a stunt double for Michael Keaton. He gained tremendous recognition for his work in Batman. He also trained and choreographed the action sequences for Tango & Cash.

Lea then went on to work with well-known actors from the entertainment industry and became a stunt coordinator and action choreographer, preparing actors for complicated action scenes.

Over the years, he worked with several action stars like Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Scarlett Johansson, Sandra Bullock, Will Smith, and more.

He was an expert in different fighting techniques, including close-range tactical, penitentiary, street fighting, gang fights, period fights, and more. Dave was also trained in dance and it was a part of his daily routine. He once said:

“Action is like dancing! Turn the music on and dance. The best action moves are the ones that simply appear in the choreography. You don’t look for them, you feel them.”

Lea once mentioned that his mother was a big influence on his physical abilities. He took some training in Latin dancing to improve his choreography.

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Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

Over the years, Lea has become a familiar name in the entertainment industry for his flawless work in action choreography. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his demise:

Lea is survived by his family members, whose identities remain unknown.