Why Hollywood keeps ignoring stunt doubles?

 The individuals , who are known as stunt doubles, work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the glitzy world of Hollywood running, often sustaining injuries while the camera is rolling.

What Stunt Doubles Really Do

For years, stunt performers have dedicated themselves to the art of combat. The ninja-style fighting, intense high fall jumps, and wire lifts are not effortless. As the backbone of every action movie, they make it possible for actors to pull off near-death experiences. 

Some, if not most, ‘epic’ cinematic scenes are vividly captured to look like a performer is pulling off daring stunts, when in reality it’s their stunt double brought to life through skilled editing.

For instance, in The Matrix, Chad Stahelski performed many of Neo’s legendary stunts as Keanu Reeve's stunt double.

 The Faces Behind the Fame

Their work remains unappreciated yet they are key figures for superheroes that come to life on screen. Every famous action star is accompanied by a faceless silhouette, yet to be uncovered.

After a long filler of Scarlett Johansen, Heidi Moneymaker stepped into the shoes of Black Widow and pulled off one of the most iconic intense hand-to-hand combat scenes. She is known as one of the first women in the Marvel universe to depict physical female power across multiple movies.

Bobby Holland Hanton has doubled for Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Reynolds, and Henry Cavill. He is known to have taken on more than just a few scary stunts that would leave most people bedridden

Though virtually unknown to the public, Ilram Choi has been a stunt double for Spider-Man, played by Andrew Garfield, and Star-Lord, played by Chris Pratt.

A History of Being Overlooked

It is shocking the Academy Awards does not have a category dedicated to stunt work, especially when there is a category for makeup, costume, and even sound editing. This particular gap has received a lot of criticism, especially considering the number of films that are stunt heavy.

Even complex multi-stunt acts like the one found in James Cameron’s Avatar went uncredited to the stunt doubles who performed them.

 They Risk It All—Mind and Body

The nature of stunt work is physically and psychologically daunting. Many sustain lifelong injuries, and a few have even died while working. The emotional stress, especially in high stakes situations, is often very great and often overlooked.

For example, stuntwoman Olivia Jackson who doubled for Milla Jovovich on Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. 

She suffered life threatening injuries in an accident while performing a stunt for the film which later resulted in her losing an arm.

The Fight for Recognition

For many years, Stunts Unlimited and other leading figures within the industry have lobbied for proper awards and union protections, which has not been achieved yet. In 2023, 100 stunt professionals signed a petition directed at the Oscars to create a Best Stunt Performance category.

It is frustrating how some of the most respected filmmakers in the world, including Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, have acknowledged this absurdity and yet, so little has been done.

How Stars Are Taking the Credit

The marketing team of the movie is likely to advertise “doing their own stunts” for marketing purposes. But we all know that stunt doubles do the most of the work, especially dangerous stunts. To make matters worse, strict NDAs and contracts silence them from speaking out.

For example, Greg Townley, Tom Holland’s double in Spider-Man: No Way Home, performed many of the wire flips and stunts far more dangerous than anything done in the movie.

Final Take

Stunt doubles are not just background workers. Over the years, they have made a tremendous contribution to the action films and their ability to captivate the audience. Hollywood has to provide recognition, respect, awards, and above all, the appreciation they have earned through blood, sweat, and tears.

If superheroes receive the glory, their real-life counterparts deserve just as much.