Stunt Drivers in Movies!
We love watching movies especially when there is action and adrenaline! We are well aware of the actors and actresses of the movie but have we ever wonder who the people behind the actions scenes are? They are often called stunt performers but often enough, they do not get the credit they deserved. So, here’s to listing down a few of them!
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Baby Driver stunt works
The latest movie, Baby Driver, played by actor Ansel Elgort became a craze overnight after fans watched the movie. Action packed with loads of humor, the movie became an instant hit. The car stunts were precise and risky at the same time. Who is the man behind the crazy stunts? His name is Jeremy Fry. So how does this works? The stunt driver controls the steering, pedals and shifters from above while the actor sits inside and perform for the cameras. This way, it looks like the actor is the one behind the stunts. Many of the stunts were real with very minimal CGI (Computer effort Imagery) efforts. However, the actor also performed some of the stunts himself and were trained by the stunt drivers.
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Bill Hickman
Bill Hickman, an American professional stunt driver is one of the film industry’s most accomplished stunt drivers. He coordinated the 3 greatest car chases in history throughout 1950s to 1970s. The 3 movies were; Bullitt, The French Connection and The Seven-ups. While he was offered for small roles in movies, his main source of income was his stunt-man works. It was not all rainbows and butterflies for Bill as he sustained a couple of injuries including breaking several ribs while filming for “How to stuff a Wild Bikini”. He died at the age of 65 in 1986 due to cancer.
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Tanner Foust
Tanner Foust is another man behind the wheels. He is a professional racing driver, a stunt driver and a television host. If he looks familiar to you, it is because he is also the co-host on the television series, Top Gear. He was also the stunt driver for movies such as; The Dukes of Hazzard, Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, and Need for Speed. With an interview with www.ocregister.com, he said, “Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift was my favourite so far. Rhys Millen and I drifted and bashed cars on cliff edges and through downtown LA for months. What could be wrong with that? But the close second is “Red Dawn,” where I got to bash a truck through the backyards of endless Detroit neighborhoods for two weeks and that was pretty therapeutic.”
Other stunt drivers includes; Ben, also known as the “The Stig”, Hal Needham, Adam Kirley, Buddy Joe Hooker, Loren Willard, Dennis Williams and many more. Unfortunately, many stunt performers are underrated and uncredited despite the great earnings. According to www.tmz.com, the stunt drivers who are responsible for the adrenaline pumping action in Fast and Furious 7 were left out of the end credits. The stunt team members, many whom risked their lives were left out of the credits. On the bright side, these stunt drivers love their job because it involves their passion in driving!