Tom Hardy: One Stunt Oscar for Venom Not Enough

Following the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' announcement of a new Oscar for Stunt Design, actor Tom Hardy has expressed doubts about the sufficiency of just one award category for the stunt industry. In an interview with IGN ahead of the release of his latest film, Havoc, Hardy stated, "One Oscar, it's a bit too little too late in some aspects. It's good, it's great and cup half full territory, but I think perhaps more is asked for."

Hardy, known for his roles in Venom and Mad Max: Fury Road, elaborated on the complexity of the stunt department, saying, "It's not enough just stunt design because there are so many elements that go into stunts as a department. The design element is like an umbrella for a diaspora of different groups within that world that all need to be illuminated, and understood, quite how hard they work, and, what the stunt department, along with effects, deliver for people that want to go to cinema or sit down and watch anything remotely with any action or anything beyond just the written word or the spoken word. Whether it's people on horseback, cars, people jumping off buildings, people being on fire, fights, people getting run over, underwater, skydiving, whatever it is."

He emphasized the unsung efforts of stunt professionals, noting, "That entire universe of people is unsung, and they put a lot on the line for that physically, and they're largely unspoken, but they do really put the thrill into film and TV. I've got a lot of friends in that world, so yeah, I'd like to see some subcategories in there as well."

This sentiment is shared by Havoc's director, Gareth Evans, renowned for his work on The Raid films, which are celebrated for their thrilling action and stunt sequences. Evans commented, "Subcategories would be nice. I don't think awards drive the craft. I think that's the wrong reason to do it. I think it's all about expressing yourself within the parameters of what the film is that you're making. I think it's about time that it got rewarded, about time that it had some recognition, and hard to understand why it wasn't from the get-go really."

It will take 100 years for the Oscars to introduce an award category dedicated to the craft of stunt design, set to debut at the 2028 Academy Awards. However, fans won't have to wait as long to see Havoc, which will be available on Netflix starting this Friday, April 25th, offering viewers a chance to see Tom Hardy in action.