‘Anora,’ Adrien Brody and the full Oscars recap
USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa recaps the 97th Academy Awards from Los Angeles, where “Anora” was the night’s big winner.
It’s official. The Oscar for best stunt is finally rolling up to the Academy Awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the creation of the honor − officially called the Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design − beginning in 2028 for the 100th Academy Awards.
“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in a joint statement on Thursday. “We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists.”
Category rules for eligibility and voting for the inaugural award will be announced in 2027. More than 100 stunt professionals are members of the Academy’s Production and Technology Branch.
The stunt award has long been advocated by stunt professionals and the people who admire the art onscreen. In 2019, the year Brad Pitt starred as a stuntman in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” a high-octane “Stand Up for Stunts” video played before the movie at the Alamo Drafthouse theater chain.
In 2012, legendary stuntman Hal Needham was presented with an honorary Oscar and was introduced by Quentin Tarantino at the Governors Awards. “You know, you’re looking at the luckiest man alive,” Needham said during his acceptance speech. “And lucky to be alive.”
Hollywood reacts to the news of best stunt design Oscar
There was a long-overdue celebration for the Oscar for best stunt design on Thursday. “The Fall Guy” director David Leitch, the onetime stuntman who spearheaded the award initiative with stunt actor Chris O’Hara, said in a statement: “This has been a long journey for so many of us.”
“Stunts are essential to every genre of film and rooted deep in our industry’s history − from the groundbreaking work of early pioneers like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Charlie Chaplin, to the inspiring artistry of today’s stunt designers, coordinators, performers, and choreographers,” Leitch said. “We are incredibly grateful. Thank you, Academy.”
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” co-director Joe Russo posted a Ryan Gosling thumbs-up GIF from “The Fall Guy” on X.
“Stunt Teams getting the news they can now win an Oscar,” Russo wrote.
Leave a Reply