Chris Pratt's stunt double Tony McFarr's cause of death explored as coroner's report becomes public months after his passing

Months after the death of Chris Pratt’s stunt double Tony McFarr, the cause behind his untimely demise was made public. As per a report by Deadline on August 21, the stuntman had died due to an irregular heartbeat, owing to an issue with his heart valves. It was confirmed by the Orange County Florida Medical Examiner’s office. Tony McFarr passed away on May 13, 2024, at the age of 47.

He was found dead at his home in Florida, outside Orlando. His death was declared accidental by the Medical Examiner’s office. The factors which contributed to his death were alcohol poisoning and COPD.

According to Deadline,

“Ruling the death accidental, the ME’s Office says McFarr died of probable cardiac dysrhythmia due to mitral valve insufficiency. Contributing factors include alcohol poisoning and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, known as COPD, a common lung condition that causes constriction of the airways and difficulty in breathing.”

As per a report by TMZ, the autopsy notes showed that he had a history of alcohol abuse. When his body was examined, the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was found to be at 0.29% when the permitted and legal BAC limit for driving is 0.08% in most states. The medical examiner further added that when his body was found, it had already started decomposing, implying that it had been in the place for quite some time.

---

Chris Pratt was devastated by Tony McFarr’s death

Tony McFarr acted as Chris Pratt’s stunt double in 2015 for Jurassic World. His work continued in the subsequent sequels of the movie and in Passengers. In 2017, it was reported that he experienced a fall while filming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

The news of his death was confirmed by his mother Donna. Calling her son’s death unexpected, she said that Tony was active and healthy. Chris Pratt took to his Instagram to express his grief. He wrote on his Instagram story:

“Devastated to hear about the loss of my friend and former stunt double. We golfed, drank whiskey, smoked cigars, and spent endless hours on set. I’ll never forget his toughness.”

As his post continued, he wrote that Tony had once taken a shot on his head which required him to get multiple staples. However, he came back healthy and was ready to work again. Chris Pratt recalled Tony McFarr to be a professional and gentleman.

The stuntman's career began in 2011 when he played Geoff Stults’s stunt double in Bones. Following that, he worked as a stunt double in productions like Teen Wolf, Rock of Ages, Burn Notice, and The Hunger Games. Tony McFarr played minor roles in Army Wives, Burn Notice, MacGyver, and One Tree Hill. Besides Chris Pratt, the stunt double also worked with Jon Hamm and Brendan Fraser.

---

Tony McFarr's childhood was mostly spent on Merritt Island. He was enrolled at Divine Mercy Catholic School. He is survived by his parents, his daughter, and his sister. The burial took place in Pennsylvania where he rests beside his grandmother.