Director David Leitch describes his new movie The Fall Guy as a “love letter to stunts.” Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman becoming an unlikely hero when the star of his ex-girlfriend (Emily Blunt)’s new movie goes missing. After Leitch’s action-comedy film accomplished a record-breaking stunt, the stunt community pushes for a new Oscars category dedicated to stuntwork.
During awards season, the Emmys and the Screen Actors Guild honor stunt performers. After all, they risk their lives performing dangerous stunts that action stars can’t do. Unfortunately, the Academy Awards fail to recognize stunt performers on Oscar night or its untelevised Scientific and Technical Awards.
The Fall Guy’s stunt department head, Chris O’Hara, expressed his frustration to The LA Times about the disconnect being strong after Brad Pitt won an Oscar for playing a stuntman in Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood.
“That was the big uproar — you can get an Academy Award for pretending to be a stunt guy but you can’t get an Academy Award for actually being one.”
Before being a director for the past decade, David Leitch was a stuntman himself. He doubled for Brad Pitt and Matt Damon in films like “Fight Club” and “The Bourne Ultimatum.” Leitch knew that stunts contributed to an action film’s success, so he dared to try a stunt that no one had ever done before.
A bold “cannon roll” was performed where a cannon-like mechanism shot underneath a moving car that flipped in the air. Stunt driver Logan Holladay was inside the Jeep Cherokee completing a record-breaking eight and a half revolutions. This maneuver beat the previous record of Casino Royale’s seven revolutions. With practical “in-camera” stuntwork implemented for The Fall Guy, it’s about time risk-taking stunt performers get Oscar recognition.
Is there any hope for a Best Stunts Oscars category?
Ever since the early 1990s, veteran stunt coordinator Jack Gill has been arguing that the time has come for box office-driving stunt work to get recognition.
“There is no other department head in the movie business that has that kind of pressure where people’s lives are at stake,” said Gill. “Stunt performers don’t want to be actors and walk the red carpet and all of that. What they want is to be acknowledged among their peers for doing something that involves real blood, sweat, and tears.”
Small feats are bringing the stunt community closer to their goal. For instance, Chris O’Hara got the title of stunt designer for The Fall Guy compared to the typical “stunt coordinator.” This year’s Oscars also had Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt give a remarkable tribute to the stunt community.
Not to mention, the Oscars announced earlier this year there will be a new category for casting in 2026. With the Oscars keeping an open mind to the importance of casting, Chris O’Hara believes stunt work will eventually follow.
“For the longest time, you heard all these rumors: ‘They’re not going to add another category because there’s not enough space in the telecast,’” said O’Hara. “It’s not true. You have to plead a case and follow through with it. It’s a political thing — it’s a dance to kind of get these points across. Now that casting got it, we know it’s possible.”
Once The Fall Guy releases theatrically on May 3, maybe buzz about the excellent stunts will reach the Oscars soon.
