Throw him off a building, light him on fire, hit him with a Lincoln! He’s just happy for the opportunity.†So says Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton of his loyal stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He’s not wrong, at least when it comes to how stunt people were seen in the film industry for much of its history — as cheerful masochists who were just happy to be there. This attitude, of course, conveniently ignored the fact that stunt people helped build Hollywood. Before audiences were paying to see actors onscreen, they were paying to see stunts. It’s their industry; everyone else is just appearing in it.
For the past several decades, however, stunt professionals have been looking for greater recognition through their quest for an Oscar category for Best Stunt Coordination. Some awards-giving bodies have already made the addition: Since 2007, SAG has given out a Best Stunt Ensemble award, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, that country’s equivalent of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, recently unveiled a Best Stunt Coordination category after years of lobbying. And, of course, the stunt world does have its own prizes, the Taurus World Stunt Awards, given out in September. (No Time to Die was the big winner last year.)
We at Vulture have made our position on this matter known many times, but we, too, are tired of waiting. Since the AMPAS won’t properly fete achievements in stunts, we’re going to do it. We’ve spent the past few months assembling our own mini-academy of stunt professionals: a select group* of stunt people, writers, filmmakers, and other industry professionals (including cinematographers and visual-effects artists) who helped us establish our own set of relevant and distinct stunt awards in a variety of categories, honoring work in feature-length films released between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. (To be eligible, these films must have been made available to U.S. audiences in that time period, whether in limited screenings, wide release, or on a streaming platform.) Our nominations have been finalized, and final voting begins on February 10. The inaugural Stunt Awards winners will be announced on March 6.
We do this not just because we want the film industry to give greater recognition to the world of stunts, but because it’s fun. Not to mention informative: Look through these categories and nominees; while you will certainly find some of the most beloved films of the year, you might also discover some names and/or films you’re unfamiliar with. The nominees include high-minded dramas with individual spectacular sequences as well as gonzo action movies you can’t believe ever got made. And, of course, Jackass Forever.
Best Stunt in an Action Film
Awarded to a specific sequence in an action film that exemplifies the work of a stunt-coordination team. The award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees are:
-Ambulance (The L.A. River Helicopter Chase)
-Athena (The Opening)
-RRR (The Bridge Scene)
-Top Gun: Maverick (The Climactic Dogfight)
-Top Gun: Maverick (The Training Montage)
Best Stunt in a Non-Action Film
Awarded to a specific sequence in a non-action film (defined as a movie not predominantly occupied by physical spectacle in the form of fights, chases, explosions, and other violence). The award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees are:
-Deep Water (The Bike Chase)
-Jackass Forever (Knoxville vs. Bull)
-Nope (The Final Sequence with Keke Palmer’s “Akira Slideâ€)
-Thirteen Lives (The Rescue)
-Triangle of Sadness (The Boat Tilt/Toilets Explosion)
Best Fight
Awarded to a hand-to-hand combat sequence that does not involve guns, though it can involve other weapons. The award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees include:
-Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (Scott Adkins vs. Andy Long)
-Everything Everywhere All at Once (The Fanny-Pack Fight)
-Lost Bullet 2 (The Police Station Fight)
-RRR (Ram’s Intro)
-Prey (The Final Fight)
Best Shootout
Awarded to any sequence involving guns at relatively close range. The award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees include:
-Ambulance (The Bank Heist)
-The Big 4 (The Compound Siege)
-Bullet Train (The Flashback Shootout with Lemon and Tangerine)
-RRR (The Piggyback Dual Wielding)
-Vikram (Vikram’s Giant Gun)
Best Vehicular Stunt
Awarded to any sequence involving motorized vehicles. The award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees include:
-Ambulance (The L.A. River Helicopter Chase)
-Athena (The Opening)
-The Batman (The Batmobile Penguin Chase)
-The Gray Man (The Tram Chase)
-Lost Bullet 2 (The Freeway Chase)
Best Aerial Stunt
Awarded to any sequence that takes place predominantly in the air. The award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees:
-Ambulance (L.A. River Helicopter Chase)
-Devotion (Insubordination)
-Jackass Forever (Flight of the Icarus)
-Top Gun: Maverick (Climactic Dogfight)
-Top Gun: Maverick (Training Montage)
Best Practical Explosion
Awarded to any sequence that involves any reactive substance that amounts to an explosion. This award will be given to a stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, pyrotechnician, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees include:
-Ambulance (The Exploding Decoy)
-Athena (The Molotov Cocktail Surrounds Police)
-The Batman (The Batmobile Penguin Chase Climax)
-Lost Bullet 2 (The Electrified-Car Explosion)
-RRR (The Bridge Scene Tanker Explosion)
Best Overall Action Film
Awarded to the best film for stunt work overall. The award will be given to a director, stunt coordinator, stunt choreographer, cinematographer, unit director, and/or any notable stunt professionals. The nominees include:
-Accident Man: Hitman’s HolidayÂ
-Ambulance-Top Gun: Maverick
-Athena
-Avatar: The Way of Water
-Lost Bullet 2Â
-The NorthmanÂ
-Prey
-RRR
-Top Gun: Maverick
-The Woman King
Best Achievement in Stunts Overall
Awarded to the best overall stunt professional (or duo) in 2022. Nominees include:
-Scott Adkins
-Jerome Gaspard
-Kevin LaRosa II
-Andy Le and Brian Le
-Jordan McKnight
-Amber Midthunder
-Nick Powell
-Solomon Raju
-Jenel Stevens
-Michelle Yeoh
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award will be announced on March 6, 2023.
*Vulture’s Stunt Awards is led by Vulture film critic Bilge Ebiri and freelance writer Brandon Streussnig. Liam O’Donnell, director and writer; Angelica Lisk-Hann, stunt coordinator and second unit director; Todd Vaziri, visual effects artist; and Jack Gill, action designer, 2nd unit director, stunt coordinator, and stuntman; served as consultants.