The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is mulling on the possibility of including an stunt work category at the Oscars, Empire Magazine reported.
There has been pressure for years now for the Academy to tangibly celebrate the work that stunt performers do for the film industry. For almost a century now, it has not been recognized at Hollywood’s biggest awards show despite being a huge part of the filmmaking arts.
However, with the release of the Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt-starrer The Fall Guy this summer, the needle is starting to move — albeit slowly.
The movie has been consistently described as a love letter to the contribution that stunt performers have been contributing to the film industry. The film’s cast and crew has repeatedly gone to bat for the inclusion of a stunt category at the Oscars.
And the Oscar for Best Stunts goes to…
At the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, the magazine spoke with Academy big wigs who are in talks to reshape the institution and bring the industry’s most prestigious award-giving body to the current century. With that in mind, they say they are beginning to speak about creating a Stunts category.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer said, “We’re talking to members of the stunt community who are Academy members about the possibility of that.”
“We added a new award that will launch in two years for Casting Directors so we’re always open to those discussions,” he continued.
It may have taken a hundred years — give or take — but the Academy is starting to change.
“The Academy is like a living, breathing organism,” Academy President Janet Yang explained.
“We listen to our members, and if there’s really strong support and there’s whole mechanisms for how to advance the cause, and they’re interested… That’s what happened with Casting. We’ve created new branches over the decades. So it does evolve, and it evolves with the changing industry,” she continued.
A lot of credit can be given to The Fall Guy for loudly and very visibly for the actual guys who fall so the actors don’t have to. At its premiere, it featured stunt performers who wowed the crowd with parkour and other stunt work.
I’m sure many believe it’s been a long time coming for the Academy to start thinking about including stunt performers in their awards. While there are many successful actors who also do their own stunts, those that had their start as actual stunt performers are few and far between.
Stahelski and Leitch lead the way
However, there have been quite a few stunt guys who have successfully transitioned to becoming directors. The Fall Guy director, David Leitch, is one of them. According to his IMDb page, he has 82 credits as a stunt performer and coordinator before he fully transitioned to directing and producing action films. He made his directorial debut with 2017’s Atomic Blonde, starring Charlize Theron.
His directing credits include 2018’s Deadpool, 2019’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and 2022’s Bullet Train. He also served as producer and executive producer for the John Wick films.
Speaking of John Wick, another stunt guy turned producer is Chad Stahelski. Known as the man behind the Keanu Reeves-led action blockbusters, his last credit as a stunt performer is for Deadpool 2. His first job doing stunt work is the 1993 film Knights. He followed that the next year with the Brandon Lee-starred The Crow.
Stahelski also has acting credits, albeit in minor roles. However, he transitioned to producing and directing instead of full-time fighting in films when he directed the first John Wick film in 2014. Now, through his deal with Lionsgate he heads two franchises: John Wick and Highlander, which will star Henry Cavill.
Late last year, the filmmaker also made a bold prediction that in two years the Oscars will include a stunts category. Stahelski further detailed his prediction that the issue would hinge on how the Academy is going to make it happen rather than why.
Aside from Leitch and Stahelski, there are other names throughout Hollywood’s history that have done double (or even triple) duty as actor, producer, filmmaker, and of course, stunt performer.
There’s the Norris family. The most well-known member may be Chuck, but his brother Aaron and sons Mike and Eric also started out as stunt guys and then became filmmakers.
Four-time Academy Award-winning director John Ford even had two stunt credits early in his career. Iconic actor Buster Keaton, best known for his physical comedy, also performed stunts that were largely uncredited. And going even further back, the legendary Charlie Chaplin was largely a stunt actor since he was arguably one of the biggest silent film stars ever.
He still made silent films even when “talkies” became the norm. His first ever film to feature dialogue was the 1940 movie The Great Dictator.
With such pedigree, it would be the Academy’s loss if it doesn’t rectify the more than a century’s worth of ignoring stunt performers. Hopefully, Stahelski’s prediction comes true as early as 2025.
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