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O duplo tinha de fazer um salto arriscado.

O duplo tinha de fazer um salto arriscado.
The stunt double had to do a risky jump.
From Lesson 466:Near misses (por pouco não)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O duplo tinha de fazer um salto arriscado.

Why is the word for 'stunt double' duplo instead of dublê?
Duplo is the standard word used in European Portuguese for a stunt double or body double. If you have encountered the word dublê, that is the Brazilian Portuguese equivalent, which was adapted from French.
Why is the Imperfect tense (tinha de) used here instead of the Pretérito Perfeito (teve de)?
Using the Imperfect (tinha de) sets the background context or ongoing obligation for a story. It describes what his job required him to do before the action happened. If the sentence used teve de, it would focus on a specific, isolated moment of obligation that was completed right then and there.
Can I say tinha que fazer instead of tinha de fazer?
Yes, in everyday speech, ter que and ter de are used almost interchangeably to mean 'have to'. Traditional Portuguese grammar prefers ter de for expressing a strong obligation, which is why it is often chosen in writing, but both forms are perfectly natural and understood.
Why use fazer um salto instead of dar um salto?
While dar um salto is the most common way to say 'to jump' or 'to take a leap' in everyday situations, fazer um salto is specifically used when referring to a technical execution, such as a planned cinematic stunt, a sports maneuver, or a choreographed performance.
How would I apply this lesson's grammar to say 'The stunt double almost made a risky jump' (meaning he came close, but ultimately didn't do it)?
You would change the main verb to the Pretérito Perfeito Simples and say: O duplo por pouco não fez um salto arriscado. The expression por pouco não literally translates to 'by a little (he) did not', so it always pairs with a completed past tense verb like fez to show the action was narrowly avoided.

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