Ray Winstone calls on Bafta to recognise stunt performers

Actor Ray Winstone has co-signed an open letter to Bafta calling for stunt performers to be officially recognised at the award ceremony.

Winstone recently narrated the film Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman.

The letter, penned by the film's Oxfordshire director Jon Spira, said stunts have "elevated British cinema as a commodity and an experience".

Bafta said it annually reviews the categories in its awards show.

Feature-length documentary Hollywood Bulldogs reveals behind the scenes stories of iconic stunts from Indiana Jones, Superman, James Bond and more.

It includes a number of renowned stunt performers, including Vic Armstrong and Rocky Taylor, both of whom doubled for Bond.

Sexy Beast and Nil by Mouth star Winstone has himself featured in films with major stunt sequences, including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Black Widow.

The actor said: "I am totally shocked that these brilliant stunt performers are not recognised by Bafta for their amazing work, and how important these men and women are to our industry."

Spira's previous work includes Anyone Can Play Guitar, which told the story of Oxford's music scene around the time Radiohead found fame, and Elstree 1976, which revealed the actors behind the masks of the original Star Wars.

Speaking about the letter, he said: "These are the performers who gave the thrills to the audiences of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Aliens, and countless more.

"On home turf they were even more significant because they are the people who created and performed the action of James Bond, arguably our most enduring contribution to global cinema.

"And let's be honest, what's a 007 film without the stunts?"

In a statement a Bafta spokesperson said: "Categories within our awards are reviewed annually in consultation with the film committee and wider industry.

"We have robust rules regarding campaigning to ensure a level playing field, and we continuously review our policies."

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