Los Angeles (February 17, 2005) – Screen Actors Guild (SAG) President Melissa Gilbert today called on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to heed the request of the stunt community – all of whom are SAG members – to establish a new Oscar category of Best Stunt Coordinator in the annual awards show.
"The time has arrived for stunt coordinators to receive the recognition they deserve for the risks they take on behalf of their colleagues and the rewards they provide to producers and movie-goers alike. Through incredible skill and daring, stunt coordinators provide critical safety and artistic contributions that must be acknowledged. Not only do they keep actors safe, they maintain the safety of every single person in the proximity of every stunt that is performed. Stunts sell many of today's action films. Stunt coordinators help create the spectacular moments that draw fans into the theaters and build box office for the studios."
Gilbert added that in the coming weeks and months, SAG officers and staff will reach out to leaders of the stunt community, as well as to the leadership of the Academy, to offer support and lobby for the creation of this new Oscar category.
About SAG
Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is the nation's largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists' rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents nearly 120,000 working actors in film, television, industrials, commercials and music videos. The Guild exists to enhance actors' working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists' rights. SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Headquartered in Los Angeles, you can visit SAG online at www.sag.org.
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