Featured Image Credit: Lionsgate
Topics: John Wick, Film and TV, Academy Awards
Stewart Perrie
Chad Stahelski isn't happy with the Academy at the moment.
The legendary stunt man turned John Wick director has hit out at the Oscars not having an award for his former profession.
Having performed some incredible stunts himself, as well as being at the helm for the Keanu Reeves-led franchise that is jam-packed with death-defying moments, Stahelski definitely knows a thing or two about creating a moment.
However, he finds it odd that actors, directors, writers, editors, artists, costume designers, musicians and others all get their moment at the Academy Awards every year and yet stunt doubles are left in the dark.
Advert
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he opened up on the bizarre oddity that has plagued the awards season for decades.
"There’s one for every other department but ours? That’s a no-brainer to me," he told the outlet.
"Truly, there are wives’ tales and rumors and myths about why there’s no category, that the Academy was mad at somebody about something.
"For all I know, that’s all bulls**t.
"We want to be recognized because we’re one of the 11 main departments.
"We’re in every f**king trailer. Most movies are sold on what we do."
To be honest, if you think of any big blockbuster film, a lot of the promotion hinges on things that have been performed by stunt doubles.
Imagine any of the Fast and the Furious, Marvel, or Mission: Impossible movies not having a single stunt in the trailer. Yeah, they wouldn't be nearly as fun.
Stahelski isn't the first and probably won't be the last to call for stunt doubles to get recognised at major awards ceremonies.
According to Vulture, stuntmen and women across Hollywood have been lobbying for nearly three decades to have their work praised with an award like a Golden Globe, an Emmy, or an Oscar.
Stunt coordinator Jack Gill has been part of that movement from the start and he says it's been a tough slog.
“When I first approached [the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences], they were extremely eager to help,” Gill explained to Vulture.
“As the years went on, they got tired of me. Now it’s hard to even get a meeting.”
It's not only fascinating and jaw-dropping what some stunt people are able to achieve, but it's also incredibly dangerous.
There have been multiple cases of stunt doubles dying or being seriously injured because of what they were trying to achieve.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been approached for comment.