STUNT DOUBLE

A 'stunt double' is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television (such as jumping out of a building, jumping from vehicle to vehicle, or other similar actions), and for other sophisticated stunts (especially fight scenes). Stunt doubles may be used in cases where an actor's physical condition precludes a great amount of physical activity, or when an actor is contractually prohibited from performing stunts. Stunt doubles are sometimes referred to as "'''stunties'''."
The terms ''stunt double'' and ''body double'' may be used interchangeably for cases where special skills are needed, such as dancing, playing the piano, or competitive skiing. Stunt doubles should be distinguished from stunt performers, who perform stunts for the sake of the stunt alone, often as a career.
Many stunt doubles have happy and long production careers as part of a star actor's contractual "support crew" along with the star's cooks, trainers, dressers, assistants. Stunt doubles for Eddie Murphy, John Wayne, Harrison Ford, Steve Martin and Michael Landon have been associated with their lead actors for decades.
"Stunt double" is not the exclusive province of humans; several dog actors are used as doubles, for example Enzo was the stunt double for his aging sire Moose on the sitcom Frasier. Soccer, the dog who portrayed ''Wishbone'', reportedly hated swimming and therefore had stunt doubles.
Some actors, for example James Garner, Burt Reynolds, Johnny Yong Bosch, Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron, Michelle Yeoh, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Viggo Mortensen are known to have performed their own stunts. Jackie Chan is particularly famous for doing most of his own stunts.

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★ Q&A with stuntman/stunt coordinator Matt Anderson