Yakima Canutt became the first stuntman to receive an Academy Award when he won an honorary Oscar in 1967, nearly a century after cinema began. This belated recognition highlights how stunt performers have been integral to film yet largely unacknowledged by the industry's premier awards body. The Academy is finally rectifying this oversight by introducing "Achievement in Stunt Design" as an official category, debuting at the 2028 Oscars' centennial celebration.

Canutt's career exemplified the stunt profession's evolution and importance: he served as stunt coordinator and second unit director on major productions including Gone With the Wind, Ben-Hur, and El Cid, whilst pioneering crucial safety innovations such as the L-stirrup and spring cabling systems. Other notable stunt performers subsequently received honorary recognition, including air bag safety innovator Hal Needham in 2012 and martial artist Jackie Chan in 2016. The push for the new category, championed by stunt coordinator Jack Gill with backing from Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, finally acknowledges the dangerous, essential work of stunt professionals at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.