Eric Malone has reached the pinnacle of the Jet Ski world, having won eight world championships.
Now he's going Hollywood.
Malone, a Duncansville native, performed personal watercraft stunts for the new movie "I Am Number Four," which opened Friday. The movie is showing at Park Hills Theater in Altoona.
The movie is based on a teenage science fiction novel of the same name by Pittacus Lore, the pseudonym of the writing team of Jobie Hughes and James Frey, the author who wrote the infamous "A Million Little Pieces" and was later castigated for fabricating sections of the supposed memoir.
"I Am Number Four" tells the story of nine aliens who resemble humans and flee their home planet to hide on Earth, but are pursued by an invading species intent on killing them. The movie stars Alex Pettyfer as the protagonist John Smith, the fourth alien. Timothy Olyphant plays his guardian, Henri. It is produced by Michael Bay and directed by D.J. Caruso, who also directed "Disturbia," "Eagle Eyes" and "Taking Lives."
Malone's strong connection to the personal watercraft world brought him in contact with the film's producers.
"I have some friends that I've ridden with for a number of years, who have moved into the stunt industry," Malone, 34, said. "The Jet Skiing part of the stunt industry is really small, so I know what's up and coming. I got a call from some people from the movie.
"D.J. Caruso is into Jet Skiing, so he actually decided who would do the stunts. The deciding factor is you have to have some sort of resemblance [to the star]. That's the bottom line, the biggest part."
Malone has competed professionally for 15 years and has now started Eric Malone Enterprises, which manufactures personal watercraft. In addition to performing the stunts, Malone's company built the watercraft used in the film.
"I was able to provide the entire package, talent and the Jet Skis," he said. "It made it simpler for them."
The stunts in "I Am Number Four" were not Malone's first venture into the movie industry. He also did the personal watercraft stunts for "Into the Blue" a 2005 film starring Paul Walker and Jessica Alba.
For the new movie, Malone and the other stunt riders filmed for two weeks last July on Islamorada in the Florida Keys.
"We were in paradise for two weeks, getting paid to ride Jet Skis in 80-degree water," said Mark Gomez, another of the stunt riders for the film. "It was a dream come true."
Gomez, a 20-year-old professional personal watercraft rider from Fullerton, Calif., was on his second-ever job as a stunt rider, having previously filmed an Adidas commercial with comedian Ken Jeong.
"I rode a gold Jet Ski in that commercial," Gomez said. "Two weeks later, I was cast into this movie. My role is one of the teenage friends."
Gomez was excited not only to work on "I Am Number Four," but to work with Malone as well.
"As a kid, I was a big fan of Eric Malone. I mean, he's an eight-time world champion," said Gomez, who has been riding since he was 9. "I met him originally at the Jet Ski World Finals in Lake Havasu [in Arizona], so we were acquaintances.
"So I got to the movie set, and there he was. Over those two weeks, we got to know each other, and now, he is one of my better friends."
During his two weeks on set, Malone had contact with the stars of the film, preparing for his stunts and instructing the actors on riding.
"We worked hand-in-hand," he said. "When I did the movie 'Into the Blue,' Paul Walker and Scott Caan were the two buddies in that movie, and we worked hand-in-hand with them. I went out to eat and everything with them. It was the same with this.
"I worked with Alex maybe a little more, to get him used to the skis. They are a little more challenging to ride, and the balance point is harder to find. I wanted to work with him so he would feel good on the skis."
Malone had yet to see the final cut of the film.
"I could have gone to the premiere, but I didn't push the issue, and I'm kicking myself in the butt for it," Malone said. "My friends saw it, and they said it was good. I didn't even know if [his scenes] were going to make the movie until I saw the extended trailer. From what I hear, it's one short segment, around 30 seconds to a minute."
Malone can be seen prominently in the trailer performing a backflip on a personal watercraft.
In the wake of the film's premiere, Malone is staying quite busy.
"I'll be doing some invitationals," he said. "I stay away from competitions; I try to stay out of the way of my [sponsored] riders. I also have a gig with 'Thrillbillies' (a spinoff from motorcross rider Travis Pastrana's 'Nitro Circus,' which airs on Fuel TV). I did three or four episodes with them, and they have been airing recently.
"My activities for summer include some indoor events in Las Vegas, where there will be a pool inside the arena. We'll be in hockey stadiums, stuff like that."
For more information on Eric Malone and EME personal watercraft, visit www.ericmalone.com.
Mirror Staff Writer Cory Dobrowolsky is at 946-7428.
