It's time for an Oscar for stunts. 'The Fall Guy' is the best argument for it
LOS ANGELES — In his previous life as a stunt double, David Leitch had a simple job: to make the star look invincible. Doubling for A-listers including Brad Pitt and Matt Damon in hits like "Fight Club" and "The Bourne Ultimatum," whether taking a punch or dodging an explosion, Leitch was tasked with selling the illusion of death-defying feats while remaining personally invisible. (That leap Jason Bourne makes off a rooftop into a kitchen window in "Ultimatum"? All Leitch.)
"It's the contract we sign up for: We're not supposed to be seen," Leitch says on a recent afternoon at 87North, the Los Angeles stunt facility and production company he runs with his wife and producing partner, Kelly McCormick, out of a converted former church on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. "That's part of the movie magic."
Since transitioning from stuntwork to directing 10 years ago with the gonzo revenge thriller "John Wick," which he co-directed with (due to a DGA ruling, only Stahelski was credited), Leitch has amassed a growing portfolio of high-octane hits including "Deadpool 2," "Hobbes & Shaw" and "Bullet Train." Now, with his latest action-comedy "The Fall Guy," Leitch
