The Connection of Marvel & DC Movies to Water Polo: The Tale of United States Military Academy Graduate Michael Trisler ’90
BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — United States Military Academy graduate/former men’s water polo athlete Michael Trisler ’90 has made a name for himself in the field of cinema stunts as the former United States Army Ranger holds a unique place in the history of comic book movies.
Trisler, who portrayed Vault Guard #2 in Ant-Man, was also a stunt performer in Captain Marvel and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and a stunt coordinator in the Inhumans episodes The Gentleman’s Name is Gorgon, Havoc in the Hidden Land and …And Finally: Black Bolt. Further, he is one of the actors to portray characters for both Marvel Studios and DC Entertainment as he portrayed Star/Man With No Face in Swamp Thing.
He also appeared on the television show Lost where he served as a stunt coordinator, stuntman and actor. He played Mr. Carlson in the episode “The Incident, Part 1“. Trisler was also a stunt double for Josh Holloway in scenes such as when Claire’s house explodes in “The Shape of Things to Come“, and in “The Substitute“, when Sawyer falls down the side of the cliff on the rope ladder.
Trisler can be seen on the Season 5 DVD “Lost On Location” featurette for the episode “The Lie” discussing the making of the flaming arrow attack. He can also be seen on the Season 6 DVD “Lost On Location” for the episode “The Substitute“, performing the cliffside fall, and “Happily Ever After“, driving Desmond’s car into the pier and coordinating the work of Henry Ian Cusick and Dominic Monaghan during an underwater scene.
A native of a small farm town in Indiana, he graduated #1 in his 1990 class at West Point in Physical Fitness, winning the Iron Warrior Award for “Best West Point Athlete”.
A National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) water polo athlete and swimmer for Army, he attained a bachelors degree in Physics and Chemistry and went on to serve as a U.S. Army Ranger.
During his time in the Rangers, he competed in three Best Ranger Competitions (3rd in 1993, 2nd in 1994, 1st in 1995) and claimed the 1995 title with Eric White as members of the 25th Infantry Division. The competition, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024, has been won by five West Point graduates – Edward Garcia ’89, Corbett McCallum ’98, Trisler, Liam Collins ’92 and Andrew Winski ’20.
Further, Trisler competed in seven Eco-Challenges and was a member of Team Earthlink – the #1 ranked Adventure Racing Team in both 2001 and 2002.
The victor of the World Lifeguard Championships in 1994 and 1995 on Oahu, Hawaii, he was nominated for the Taurus World Stunt Awards for the Best Specialty Stunt for his work doubling Kevin Costner in the movie The Guardian depicting the work of elite rescue swimmers.
Victors Eric White and CPT Michael Trisler raise their firearms in salute of victory at the 1995 Best Ranger Competition
