The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has finally added a long-awaited category to its Oscars ceremony, with stunt performers set to be recognised.
The annual ceremony celebrates the finest achievements in film, with awards categories ranging from acting and directing to technical crafts such as cinematography and production design.
Despite stunt performers long being an integral part of the filmmaking process, such individuals have never been recognised at the industry’s biggest ceremony, but The Academy has confirmed it will introduce a Achievement in Stunt Design category.
The change won’t be immediate, however, with the category not set to be introduced until the 100th Academy Awards, which is due to take place in March 2028. The ceremony honours films from the previous year, meaning releases from 2027 will be the first eligible batch for the award.
“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a statement. “We are proud to honour the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion.”
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Despite the announcement, the Academy didn’t confirm if the award would be presented during the live telecast of the ceremony, adding: “The specifics of the award’s presentation will be determined by the Academy’s Board of Governors and executive leadership at a future date.”
Achievement in Stunt Design is the first new category to be introduced by the Academy since Achievement in Casting was announced last year, the first award of which will be delivered in the 98th Academy Awards next year. Before that, no new category had been introduced since Best Animated Feature back in 2002.
The news has been welcomed by several industry figures, with director David Leitch - who had started out as a stunt co-ordinator - sharing a statement following his own discussions with the Academy.
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“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.
“This has been a long journey for so many of us. Chris O’Hara and I have spent years working to bring this moment to life, standing on the shoulders of the stunt professionals who’ve fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades. We are incredibly grateful. Thank you, Academy.”
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
