Scott Cosgrove, an international stuntman from USA, died on 23rd February near a hiking trail in the Santa Monica hills. While the news started trickling in during last few days, Bollywood’s own Akshay Kumar was supremely impacted by this mishap. Reason being that the actor, impressed by Scott’s work in films like The Expendables 2, The Hunger Games, Rush Hour 3 and 300 amongst others, was supposed to collaborate with Scott in one of his upcoming films.
In the times when majority of actors don’t even acknowledge the biggest of the directors once they start going through a lean phase, Akshay has actually gone ahead and paid homage to a stuntman and that too from foreign shores!
A stuntman at heart, who started with a couple of dozen action films before moving on to various genres, and is now acting in an array of films that range from drama to hardcore action, Akshay has penned this heartfelt piece, as reproduced verbatim below:
To all the Stuntmen and Women out there, I just heard another great international Stuntman who has actually worked in my own Industry, and was going to come & train with me at my Parkour Gym has sadly passed away. I not only believe you all should be winning #Oscars & #FilmFares for your incredible work, in my eyes you should always be acknowledged globally for saving our lives & our films credibility with your expertise.
It Pains me, coz I know the one expert that an Actor/Actress can’t live without during their shoot is their #StuntBuddy We would be mourning so many Actors/Actresses if it wasn’t for your unbelievable hard work & amazing talent that makes our movies look so good & help us earn so much, while keeping us safe from harm. Instead the Stunt community is quietly mourning the ones they’ve lost be it by accident, injury or fatality on the sets of #AwardWinningFilms over the years. I know winning an award still isn’t enough for what you all painfully go through for these million dollar projects, but it would be a little start, yet sadly our fraternities are barely even honouring you with that.
I just want you to know coming from a Stunt/Actor like myself, I Admire, Respect, Honour & am Eternally Grateful for everything you all do, my children still have their Father in one piece because there is always someone prepared to take the fall that I may not be able to take one day. To all the #StuntmenAndWomen I have ever worked alongside around the World, you are in my & my family’s prayers. You deserve so much more than a wage packet, & I hope I live long enough to see a change.
I know in my 25 year long career nothing much has changed. But it will, and I will try & make sure of that… Till then Thank You & Take Great Care, Good Luck with the #FightForYourRights… RIP to all those that have #LostTheirLifeForFilm
Love & Prayers AK the Actor/AK the stuntman…
