Very few people appreciate just how much stunt artists put themselves on the line to bring us some of our favorite action scenes, but that’s not the case for Jason Statham, who has called for stunt work to get its own category at the Academy Awards.
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Statham said, “All of the stunt men… these are the unsung heroes. Nobody is giving them any credibility. They’re risking their necks. And then you’ve got poncy actors pretending their doing the stunts”.
Statham himself does a lot of his own stunts and almost got killed on the set of Expendables 3 when a driving stunt when wrong. Say what you will about his acting ability, but when it comes to hand to hand combat and action scenes he certainly delivers, and it’s easy to see Statham has a passion for his craft.
My only problem with a stunt Oscar is how would one measure the talent that goes into stunt acting? How dangerous the stunt is? I’d like to see a stunt tribute at the Oscars to let them know that their work is appreciated, but a whole category for a talent that can’t really be measured beyond danger levels could be difficult to judge. What about you? Would you like to see the Academy recognising stunt work? Let us know in the comments below…
Originally published November 22, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
