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The Fall Guy is packed with awesome stunts, from stunt performer Logan Holladay's record-breaking series of car cannon rolls to star Ryan Gosling being dragged across Sydney Harbor Bridge at 30 miles an hour.
In fact, the whole film is a love letter to the unsung heroes of the movie industry: stunt performers. Former stunt guy David Leitch directs, and Gosling plays one such stunt professional himself, who steps away from the job after a catastrophic on-set injury – but returns to help his ex (Emily Blunt) finish her blockbuster movie.
When we met with Gosling and Blunt in London to talk about their new film, the duo spoke about the importance of honoring the professionals who work so hard to make blockbuster action look good.
"We've always been so full of admiration for stunt performers, you're so grateful for them," Blunt tells us. "Their contribution to cinema is so vast, and I think because of their innate humility, and the fact that they're always hiding their faces and disappearing into the shadows, it's been more acceptable to not broadcast this contribution to cinema. Being a part of this film that shines such a light on them, I really loved hearing David Leitch talking about how these stunts are designed, just like production is designed, just like costume design, makeup design. It is an art form, they're crafted and built and dreamed up by these guys for weeks on end. And what you see is an incredible sequence in James Bond or Mission: Impossible or Fall Guy, but they've been designed. That's a very integral word to what I now view it all as."
Plus, as Gosling points out, stunt performers are just that: performers. "They're actors as well," he says. "We're all in the same union, and they show up and they also play your character. You're not the only person that plays your role, they do too. And in a lot of cases, they do the more harrowing things, the more dangerous things, the things that really set your character apart from everyone else. It's thanks to them and their special skills and their bravery, and yet they disappear into the shadows, and they go uncredited."
Gosling and Blunt both paid tribute to stunt performers at this year's Academy Awards, too – though there's still no dedicated stunt category. "I can't believe it's only happening now, but it's time to acknowledge that, and give them an Oscar, give them their flowers and credit," Gosling adds. "It's a fascinating line of work, and they're such selfless and brave people, and just made for a really exciting film. And also doing press is fun, because it's fun to talk about it and have them around. It's been great."
The Fall Guy will be released in cinemas across UK and Ireland from May 2, and in US theaters from May 3.
For more, check out our guide to this year's most exciting upcoming movie release dates to fill out your watchlist.
