Hal Needham

Jason Statham has called on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to finally recognise the work that Hollywood's stunt actors at the Oscars ceremony. The Brit actor, who does most of his own stunts, told Vanity Fair this week that the work of stuntmen and women needs to be recognised, as they so regularly put their lives on the line for the sake of movies.

"All of the stunt men — these are the unsung heroes,” Statham said in his interview with Vanity Fair. “Nobody is giving them any credibility. They’re risking their necks. And then you’ve got poncy actors pretending like they’re doing [the stunts].”

Statham can hardly be cast into this group of "poncy" actors, as he regularly carries out his own stunts in his films. The Homefront actor also began his career as a martial artist and diver, before landing his big film break in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and has a good idea of what goes into making a great stunt work. He went on to say that stunt actors are "incredibly talented" and, having worked alongside so many in his time, insisted that their profession is long overdue some recognition.

Continue reading: Jason Statham Calls On The Academy To Recognise Stunt Actors At The Oscars

Hollywood stunt legend-turned-moviemaker Hal Needham has passed away, aged 82. The long-time stand in for Burt Reynold, who went on to gain his directorial debut with Smokey and the Bandit, Needham passed away on Friday, 25 October, after a short battle with cancer, The Hollywood Reporter first revealed.

Hal Needham: 1931 - 2013

Needham was once the highest-paid stuntman in Hollywood and regularly stood in for Burt Reynolds in a number of films. After pitching his idea of a guy and his trucker friend hauling a ton of beer over state lines to Reynolds in the mid-1970's, Hal made his filmmaking debut with Smokey & the Bandit in 1976 and enjoyed immediate success as a director, with the film becoming the second highest grossing movie of 1977. It also spawned two sequels and a series of made-for-TV films, and launched Needham's career as a director.

Continue reading: Stuntman And Director Hal Needham Passes Away, Aged 82

Hollywood stuntman and director, Hal Needham, has died aged 82 on Friday (Oct 25th).

Hal lost a short battle to cancer in Los Angeles. Regarded as the highest paid stuntman in the movie industry, Needham received an honorary Oscar in November 2012 at the Governors Awards.

The academy honoured the late star because he was "an innovator, mentor and master technician who elevated his craft to an art and made the impossible look easy."

Continue reading: Hollywood Stuntman/Director Hal Needham Dies Aged 82

It's been a relatively quiet year for both Tom Hanks and Will Smith, though both teamed up for the Governor's Awards 2012 on Saturday evening (December 1, 2012). Producers of the show had enlisted the Hollywood giants to present DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg with the first Oscar of awards' season.

Katzenberg received an honorary award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science for his humanitarian work. Smith introduced the revered producer, while Hanks gave fitting speech about the CEO's generosity and his fundraising efforts after the 9/11 attacks. "Jeffrey Katzenberg doesn't have to do any of these things. But Jeffrey Katzenberg cannot help but to do all of these things - it is in his DNA. Jeffrey Katzenberg is a brilliant man, a hardworking man, a visionary and one of the most powerful men (in Hollywood)." Joking about his time spent with Katzenberg, Hanks added, "It's not just the invitation to breakfast. It's the lunch that lasts exactly 47 minutes. It's the follow-up phone call. It's the tour of the facility. It's the follow-up phone call. It's the letter to remind you of the phone call and the tour of the facility. And finally, it's the contribution you make."

Elsewhere at the ceremony, Quentin Tarantino gave a speech for stuntman Hal Needham, who revolutionized the stunt business by appearing in 310 feature films. "He is the man," said the Django Unchained director, "Before he became a director, he pushed the boundaries of what could be done.I have ripped off many shots from you. Today, I say thank you very much."

Continue reading: Tom Hanks And Will Smith Team Up At Governor's Awards 2012

This years Governors Awards saw one heck of a turn out in terms of famous faces, with honouree Jeffrey Katzenberg and Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg just two of the big names in attendance at the black tie event.

This years Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was handed to Katzenberg, honouring his ongoing commitment to charity, with the the founder and chief executive of Dreamworks Animation set to be given his award during the Oscar ceremony in February 2013. Fellow honourees at the gala include arts advocate George Stevens, Jr., documentarian D.A. Pennebaker and stunt performer and director Hal Needham.

Sidney Poitier and Annette Bening introduced Stevens, speaking highly of his commitment to the arts before allowing him to the stage - where he thanked his late father for encouraging him to consider film a timeless art and "for opening the door for me to a creative life."

Continue reading: Governors Awards 2012 See Steven Spielberg And Jeffrey Katzenberg Attend Star-Studded Event