‘Men Wearing Brown Make-Up And Wigs’ Are Taking Stunt Jobs From Black Women

The male-dominated entertainment industry continues to hinder women from securing opportunities.

Despite the growing presence of women in action roles, Black female stunt performers continue to face challenges in securing work in an industry still dominated by men.

A recent study published in the AmericanJournal of British Cinema and Television highlights how stuntmen in drag are taking opportunities from female stunt performers, the Stratford Herald reports. While the rise of action heroines from women of color and diverse ethnic backgrounds has increased the demand for female stunt doubles from these communities, the study notes that stunt work remains largely “invisible” to the public, resulting in less scrutiny of representation compared to acting and directing roles.

“It is very difficult for stunt women to become part of regular crews,” said Dr. Laura Crossley, a researcher at Bournemouth University. “Because the industry has been male-dominated so long, most stunt coordinators on film sets are men.”

Crossley explains that male coordinators often hire other men and dress them in drag to perform stunts originally intended for female actors.

“As a result, you can end up with male coordinators hiring other men and putting them in drag to perform stunts, or even using men wearing brown make-up and wigs to double for women of color,” Crossley said.

She highlights performers like Marie Mouroum and Belle Williams, who have performed stunts in the Bond franchise as MI6 agent Naomi and Eve Moneypenny, respectively, stating that while they “represent positive steps, they remain exceptions rather than the norm.”

The lack of representation among women stunt coordinators is reportedly worsened by the industry pushing the idea that actors perform their own stunts.

“For an industry that makes a lot of noise about representation and diversity, the reality is that a lot more needs to be done,” Crossley said.

Crossley, who interviewed stunt directors Annie Lees-Jones and Tiger Lilli Rudge for the study, said the lack of female roles dates back to when Hollywood moved to the studio system, and women were “frozen out.”

“One of the things Tiger suggested was that when a male stunt coordinator is appointed, the producers should hire a woman alongside him, training her so that she gets more experience,” Crossley said.

“At the moment the coordinators tend to hire performers who they have worked with in the past, and they are usually men.”

After conducting the study, Crossley believes “Change will only come about if women are given more opportunities.”