As we all know, Jason Statham is no stranger to action movies, and knows first hand how important stunt actors are to this genre. They bring the action sequences that sometimes make our jaws hit the floor to life, and in the eyes of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences they go unnoticed, something which Statham feels unfair. Speaking in an interview with Vanity Fair, he called for the Academy to craft an award to finally give those who make their name in the stunt world recognition, saying, "All of the stunt men - these are the unsung heroes. They really are. Nobody is giving them any credibility. They are risking their necks. And then you've got poncy actors pretending like they're doing (the stunts)." Considering the genre he mostly works, and the fact he performs most of his own stunts, he certainly knows what he is talking about.
This is sometime that has been called for quite a number of times, with legendary stunt co-ordinator Jack Gill battling with the Academy for a number of years to get his craft recognised. Stuntman/director Hal Neeham (who sadly passed away in October), the mastermind behind Smoky and the Bandit and The Cannonball Run, who is another legend in the industry went unnoticed for over twenty years, despite bringing some of the most impressive stunts caught on camera to the big screen. He was finally recognised last year with an Honoury Oscar. This is an argument I find totally valid. Stunt work is an important part of the film industry, not just exclusive to the action genre, and it really is about time the actors who put their bodies on the line to entertain us get some recognition.
