Tom Hardy: One Stunt Oscar Not Enough for Venom Star

In a recent interview with IGN ahead of his new film Havoc, actor Tom Hardy expressed his thoughts on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' decision to introduce an Oscar for Stunt Design starting at the 2028 Academy Awards. Hardy, known for his roles in Venom and Mad Max: Fury Road, believes that a single Oscar might not suffice to honor the diverse and essential contributions of the stunt department.

“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 remarked. He elaborated on the complexity of stunts in films, stating, “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.”

Hardy emphasized the often unsung nature of stunt performers and their vital role in enhancing the thrill of movies and TV shows. “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,” he added.

This sentiment is shared by Havoc’s director, Gareth Evans, renowned for his work on The Raid films, which are celebrated for their groundbreaking action and stunt sequences. “Subcategories would be nice,” Evans noted. He further explained, “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.”

The introduction of the Stunt Design Oscar comes after a century of the Academy Awards, set to debut in 2028. While fans will have to wait until then to see the stunt community's work formally recognized at the Oscars, they won't have to wait long to see Tom Hardy in action. Havoc will be available to stream on Netflix starting this Friday, April 25th.