THE TAURUS WORLD STUNT AWARDS 2026

As you are aware I was in LA last month for the 25th Anniversary of the TWSA and was given the opportunity of attending the show and spending some time chatting with the stunt professionals.

Here is a catch up of the event and a list of the winners will follow in a seperate post

Enjoy

Transcript

SPEAKER_09 0:10

Hello and welcome to Los Angeles and the Taurus World Stunt Awards for 2026. It's the 25th anniversary, and it promises to be a spectacular event. The sun is out here in Los Angeles today. It's been particularly cold over the last couple of days, but this is lovely. Here I am on the red carpet in the press pit where we throw abuse at people. Well we try not to anyway. I think that's the basic idea. But they've done a very good job here. The only thing that's going to bother me somewhat is the fabulous smell of the kitchen. The food is magnificent over there at the moment. But I'm going to have to do without that for now because once we've done this, then we go inside for the show. And so we'll try and cross everything as we can. But let's see what we can do. We're currently being passed by people here. There we go. This is live. How exciting is that? Right, we'll catch up with you a little later on. So we've nearly been given the five-minute warning. Rehearsal is nearly done. Christian, who is arranging everything, is going to be getting the queue. They're all wearing earpieces here. So they will get the nod to go, right, they're finished. And then they'll lead themselves out. They're going to come out onto the red carpet. Here, it's all been coordinated, so they get name tags, which is for photography use. Uh little press bit next to me. On my right is photographers and videographers on the left. And then um they will wander along with a bit of luck. We'll be able to grab one or two along the way and have a word, which would be lovely. You know, you come all this way, it would be nice to maybe get a little chat with somebody. Uh I walked in the main door and um Christy, who is the um uh she's been working in conjunction with the Blue Ribbon Committee. And uh I said, Oh hello, it's me. I'm from the UK, from behind the stunts, and she went, You made it? Of course I made it. I wasn't gonna miss it for the world, you know. So the only concern I have at the moment is the heat. And I'm not referring to the heat of the country, which currently is lovely. But they have put one of those heaters, you know the big tall things where the top of it is all heated, you know, the ones you get in pubs. Well, that's currently on, and uh I wouldn't want it to get too warm. I I'm assuming that it's gonna get decidedly chilly a little later on. And if that is the case, then that will be a godsend. Um there's also a guy at the end shoveling buckets full of uh ice into the ice bucket. The event, of course, sponsored by Red Bull, um, and uh we have all manner of varieties of Red Bull which is being thrown into that uh container at the end to keep cool for the press. Quite rightly, too. We're standing out here for most of the night. It seems only fair they should give us a drink. Nothing bar-based, I don't think. I don't think there's any beer in there, but I've got to drive home again, so um that's the least of my concerns. Although when I do go back, there is a rather lovely bottle of American Chardonnay, Los Angeles Chardonnay, sitting in the fridge, chilling. Uh, and I shall look forward to that enormously, I think. That's gonna be very exciting. So currently just uh standing and watching the world go by, there's a lot more activity. And um the valet parkers we still haven't found an appropriate collective noun for that. We need to maybe find that. A clutch. Ah, see, maybe it's a clutch. A clutch of valet parkers, that may be the answer. Um so uh there's a lot of them. They outnumber everybody else in the street currently, and on the strength of that they are waiting for the cars to arrive. Predominantly, those vehicles that will arrive, they will be um invited guests, obviously. They've got tickets, but they're not taking part in the show. Uh they are purely audience members who will be here for the show itself and then the after show party. So um I would say just looking, and I'm doing a random headcount, you'd be looking at 30, probably at the moment, 30 valet parkers, a clutch of valet. I like that. Um if anybody wants to uh patent that, you can have that on me. That's alright. If that turns up in the uh in the dictionary next time round, and nobody's mentioned it to me, I'll be very annoyed. But under the circumstances, that seems like a very, very good idea, I think. So it's all go here, and slowly but surely things are starting to fall into place. Uh Christian has confirmed that he's going to give us the all clear and the five-minute warning when things do start to happen. I'm also conscious of the fact of not wanting to drink too much. A standard issue, as we all know, because you don't in situations like this, you don't really want to miss anything. We're being looked after here, I must say, in the press pit. We've got uh water and red bull, two of the most dangerous combinations, I think you'll agree. Uh we don't have uh any vodka, and it's probably a good idea under the circumstances. Having spent a little time with uh Eddie Braun yesterday, uh not uh not only happy to uh uh pour a huge glass of whiskey which he gave me, although he was holding a bottle of spiced rum, uh, primarily because it was the biggest thing on the rack. I think that's the why he chose it. Uh, but it was particularly large. But I'm not a big rum fan. We never actually discussed it. He simply picked it up and then poured a decent shot of scotch into it, uh, which I then drank at the end of it, which seemed perfectly sensible. So uh it's all to go here. Um the Wiltshire E Bell Theatre is a gorgeous location, um, it looks very, very good indeed on the inside. Uh, there are, if you go to I've got to put links in the show notes uh so you're able to uh have a look around. They've got a little e-tour inside, and you can examine what's going on, so many different rooms and locations in there, and of course, there will be official footage uh from the show which is going to be compiled by uh by the tourist organization. So it's all happening here, and we're just waiting for hopefully it doesn't get any cooler. Warmth is everything at the moment, and uh we'll add it in a little later on. Some of the red carpet guests uh include presenters Lewis Tan, presenting Best Fight. Heidi Moneymaker's here uh for uh she's nominated for best second unit director and stunt coordinator, and uh there's a possibility of her being the first woman to win that uh this year. Crystal Hooks is here as well, nominated for Best Work with a Vehicle. Um John DeVore, who's presenting Hardest Hit, and uh the Lifetime Achievement Award this evening goes to Debbie Evans, uh, who has her fair share of Taurus Awards, it's safe to say, for vehicular gags and all sorts of bits and pieces, but she's being rightly uh honored this evening with a lifetime achievement. We start a quick few chats with uh red carpet people, including Dar Hicks. He's the first in line here. Uh he's nominated for Best Stunt Rigging for Final Destination Bloodlines. Um he's known for Black Adam, Black Panther Wakanda forever. And he is uh uh a fight expert, really. It brings a unique dance fighting style to superhero cinema and high concept fight scenes. So here he comes. Dar Hicks has joined us. How are you, sir? Hello, how are you? Great to see you. John Augie from the UK. Hi. Um this is pretty special, isn't it?

SPEAKER_08 8:57

Oh, it is. It's a beautiful event. I love being here. Yeah, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_09 9:01

Um and uh the the thing is bigger and bigger every year, and certainly the action community gets bigger and bigger every year. It's uh definitely a move in the right direction, right?

SPEAKER_08 9:08

Yeah, it started big, uh, it slowed down and now it's getting bigger again. So it's a good thing. It's nice to see. It's nice to see the red carpet, and it's nice to see uh all the big guys here, you know, JJ Perry's, all those big guys. And then us little guys from Vancouver, Canada.

SPEAKER_09 9:21

So well, you know, it's it's a it's a great way to spread everything out and uh have a great evening this evening. We'll catch up with you later on. Super, thank you very much. Jack Gill is here. Jack, how are you? Come and stand over here for me. John Augy from the UK. Hi, John. I'm very well, how are you? It's good to see you. Look very well. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 9:37

Uh 25 years, this is pretty special, isn't it? It's pretty special because when we first started, we thought it was gonna go maybe three or four years and then kind of die out. So 25 years later, I'm very happy. That's right.

SPEAKER_09 9:48

And uh, of course, great memory of some of the past. Sadly, certain individuals not with us, Carl uh not with us this year, which is a great shame. He was a uh a wonderful stum and a and a great uh inspiration to many individuals. Um I that's supposed to be a terrific in memorium this evening as well.

SPEAKER_04 10:03

There will, and and and one of the things that we like to say here at the awards is this is not really about the industry at whole, it's all about stunt people, it's all about what they do, and they risk their lives every single day. But yet we never got any recognition until the Taurus Awards jumped in there. So it's such a great thing for us to be able to see our peers here and see what they've accomplished every year.

SPEAKER_09 10:25

Well, it's lovely to see you here. You look very well. We'll catch you up with you later on. Take care, bye-bye. Here I catch up with Tomiko Brownlee. You can talk to me, don't be afraid. It's perfectly fine. Come and stand here. John Augy from the UK, how are you? Hello, sir.

unknown 10:42

Tomiko, nice to meet you.

SPEAKER_09 10:43

I'm lovely to see you. Um, 25 years of tourists this is very special, isn't it?

SPEAKER_14 10:48

Yes, it's amazing. It's it's such a beautiful event, and to have all the stunt coordinators and riggers and everybody be honored, it's it's very it's very touching.

SPEAKER_09 10:57

So just saying to Jack, I mean, you know, the whole thing started, and people were going, it'll never last, you know. It's just a flash in the pan thing. But 25 years later, it's still going strong, and evidently back to the old days of the red carpet and uh black time bigger and better.

SPEAKER_14 11:10

This is fantastic, it's beautiful, and I really appreciate Dietrich of Red Bull for like starting in and honoring us. So, because of him, I'm able to be here.

SPEAKER_09 11:18

It's lovely to see you here. Thank you for calling over, and we'll catch up with you later on. Take care, bye-bye. Debbie Debbie Debbie, come on over, come and stand over there. John or I f I know, right? How are you? Oh my goodness, and uh a bit of a big evening for you this evening.

SPEAKER_10 11:35

It certainly is. Yeah, what a what a just amazing award to be able to get. It's such an honor.

SPEAKER_09 11:43

General consensus was doesn't she have enough awards? How many does she need? But I mean, this is pretty special, particularly on anniversary night.

SPEAKER_10 11:50

Well, and Jeannie, my mentor, was the only other woman to get it. And so I'm the second after her, which makes me very, very happy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 11:59

And Lane would have been very happy as well. I mean, it is uh it's absolutely there. He is look, absolutely thrilled. He's always there. It's lovely to see. You look beautiful. Thank you. And uh you didn't drive here this evening because you've got reputation behind the wheel as well, haven't you?

SPEAKER_10 12:12

Me?

SPEAKER_09 12:13

Me? Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_10 12:16

Quite right too.

SPEAKER_09 12:17

That's exactly right. Have a lovely evening. We'll catch you later on. Look after yourself.

unknown 12:20

Yeah, I'd love to talk to you.

SPEAKER_09 12:21

Good. Well, I'll be in later. They're letting me in. Debbie Evans, good heavens. How lovely. Debbie Debbie Debbie. Greg Smurs is here.

unknown 12:38

You guys want to talk to Debbie because it's gonna be a good thing.

SPEAKER_09 12:40

Everybody wants to talk to Debbie. Now then, Greg Smurs is here. Greg, very very well known within the community. You're a member, of course, Mission Impossible. Greg, oh that's it, you're gonna get some photographs. That's his wife. He's gonna get some photographs with his wife. Come on ahead, Greg. And your good lady, come over, come and stand here for me. Greg Smurs has joined us. Uh, lovely to see you both. We did briefly meet earlier on. Uh, but uh 25 years, I mean, uh back in those days, you 25 years, you wouldn't have thought it was gonna last 25 years. That was the general consensus, and yet here we are, and you look fabulous, and so do you. Celebrating the industry. This is pretty good, right?

SPEAKER_13 13:26

Yeah, I think uh hopefully we're gonna be around for another 25 years. That's the goal. And uh we're doing it. It's been, I think last year's show was one of the best ones we ever did, and I think we're gonna beat that tonight. And uh who knows where we'll go from here.

SPEAKER_09 13:40

It's extraordinary to think the last time I met this man was in a coffee shop in London. And we recorded a podcast. I got all the elegant jobs, you know, and yet here I am on the red carpet with this. This is fantastic. Have a lovely evening, great to see you again, and uh, we'll catch you up later on. Thank you. Take care, Bobby. Quick chat I had with Stephen Dunlavey, uh, who's known for Ballerina, Mad Max, Fury Road, and John Wick Chapter 4. He's a core member of the 8711 Action Design Team and received National Board of Review Award for his coordination work recently. So here's our chat. Sir, how are you? Good, thank you. John Ortie from the UK from behind the stunts. Come and stand over here for me.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

I follow you on something.

SPEAKER_09 14:22

It's the only profession where you can follow somebody professionally, you know. That's all right. I think I follow you. You do? This is alright.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_09 14:29

Um, pretty special evening, 25 years. I was just asking, I was just saying to Greg, they never thought it would last 25, they never thought it would last two years, and yet here we are. So celebrating the community again in the in the in the best way possible. This is this is pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

It's fantastic uh to see everyone come together and have a night like this and to be able to catch up with everyone because obviously we work together in small pods and then go off and do something we might not see each other for six years, so to have an event like this and to celebrate one another and all the spectacular things that we get to do in this industry while we still get to do it.

SPEAKER_09 14:59

Even though the Oscars are gonna do it in in 2028, uh this is still a good constant right the way through.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

Absolutely. I think it's still like it's fantastic that we get to be recognized by the Oscars and everything like that. But to like have an event like this where we get to be able to be specific about the stunts, and it's just the community supporting the community, it's it's fantastic.

SPEAKER_09 15:20

Well, have a great evening. Catch up with you later on. Bye for now. People starting to go in, and uh the uh extraordinary show is about to start, so we're gonna move in there, and uh there's gonna be a great evening ahead by all. That's the plan. Catch you later. So, as everyone wanders inside the eBell Theatre for the show and we settle into our seats, it becomes more and more exciting by the minute. Now, remembering that I've seen this show on the internet for many years, but attending is very different. Firstly, I'm very pleased to be sat behind Marsha Armadi, who has been a guest on my show in the past, if you remember, the first Iranian stunt woman. It was lovely to meet her. And this was also my first opportunity to sit down since I arrived in the press pit nearly four hours before. The first presenter this evening is Lewis Tan, who is the son of British-based stunt man Philip Tan. You may know Lewis from the movie Mortal Kombat, uh, that came out in 2021. If you like that, the second installment has just completed filming. Anyway, here is the introduction to the show, and he discovers that there is a bit of a technical issue with the show early on, and the only way he can rectify this problem is to call in a favour from two of his pals. Incidentally, the announcer you'll hear during these clips has the most magnificent voice and is called and I kid you not. Jack Daniel voice as smooth as a bourbon on the road. Anyway.

SPEAKER_11 18:52

And now, to help hopefully kill some time, allow me to introduce a man who's dangerous, talented, and unfairly handsome to boot. He fights on screen and trains for real. He's got his business in his life, and yeah, he really looks like that in person. From the upcoming model number two, please welcome it.

SPEAKER_15 19:49

So many people who step into the city. We are an award to the honors, people who crash cars, take hits, and fly for real on screen. This is the fastest I've ever seen production work. Let's go, baby.

SPEAKER_11 20:08

Tonight, we celebrate action, but we also honor the family we've lost along the way. Please take a moment with us.

SPEAKER_09 20:29

Gary Jensen, Lane Levitt, Tang Chi, Kate Wade Hicks, Greg Walker, Ronnie Rondell, Neil Summers, Steve Holliday, Mickey Alzola, Carl Cafalio, Robert H. Arnold, Leonard Kreer, Jr. Michael Long, John Shocky, Jr.

SPEAKER_11 21:44

Ladies and gentlemen, for 25 years, this award has honored people who didn't just perform stunts. They made an impact on the industry and helped change the game. Tonight, we celebrate a woman who opened doors, broke barriers, and set the standard for generations. To follow. The daring dynamo behind over 300 credits, including the iconic motorcycle chase in the Matrix Reloaded, and high octane feats of the Fast and Furious franchise, a pioneer who taught us that limits are meant to be revved past. She is seven-time Taurus World Stunt Award winner, the immortal Debbie Evans. Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring their friend and colleague, two extraordinary women who know firsthand what it means to push limits in this business. An innovator with decades on set and in the saddle, whose work has helped redefine what women can do in action cinema. Marguerite Happy. And a powerhouse performer whose precision driving and fearless stunt work continue to electrify the biggest films in the world. From the heist comedy thriller Enie Meanie and the upcoming Judgment Day, Crystal Hooks.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

Right on. My name is Marguerite Happy, and it is an honor to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to my stunt sister, Debbie Evans. Debbie's story begins long before Hollywood, long before the awards, the records, and the firsts. It starts with a six-year-old whose dad put her on a motorcycle against her mother's wishes. Her first experience involved crashing straight into a pile of construction debris. She got up crying, but her dad looked at her and said something that would shape her entire life. If you're not falling, you're not learning. Debbie got back on, and within minutes the tears turned into an ear-to-ear smile. Her family camped, rode, and competed nearly every other weekend. Those trips built grit and survival skills. At 11 years old, during a desert poker run, Debbie became lost when rain turned to snow and the coarse markings disappeared. Instead of panicking, she rode to the highest lookout point she could find. A family friend eventually spotted her, and they safely found their way back to camp. That is Debbie. Methodical, analytical, calm under pressure, always thinking practically. Growing up in an era full of limitations for girls, Debbie never allowed anyone to place barriers on her. Beyond motorcycling, she loved conventional and extreme sports. When it came to learning new skills, she was relentless. At 11 years old, she taught herself to ride a unicycle in a single day simply because she refused to quit. At age 15, impressed by Debbie's trials riding against the guys and the press she received, Yamaha recognized her with a factory sponsorship. Beyond competing, Yamaha flew her around the country, including performances at the Houston Astrodome in front of 42,000 fans, where she would balance on her motorcycle, move into her now legendary headstand, and wheelie around the track. Standing ovations. And then back to school Monday morning as if nothing happened. At 17, Debbie met Lane Levitt at a trial school. He fine-tuned her skills and quickly she transferred into the expert class, becoming the first woman expert in the U.S. Soon after, they rode the national championship together, where she beat many of the men. Debbie impressed the naysayers and became a natural ambassador for women in this sport, encouraging them, don't let the boys have all the fun. She went on to ride the Scottish Six Days Trial, the only woman in the field, and remains the only woman to have competed in the top FIM World Championship class. In 1977, on her first stunt job for the feature film Death Sport, she was hired for motorcycle work, including jumping a motorcycle over a 30-foot ravine. Stunt coordinator Jean Hartline then handed her a broad sword and directed her to jump off an embankment, swinging the sword at a motorcyclist coming toward her. She looked at him and exclaimed, You're gonna pay me to play? She couldn't believe her good fortune. I've been training for this my whole life and didn't know it. What, at the young age of 17 or 18, 19? In 1978, Debbie was invited as the only woman to compete in Bobby Bass's CBS stunt competition, a grueling car, motorcycle, and horse race, incorporating stunts against nine of the top stunt men in the industry. Growing up, dreaming of being a cowgirl, Debbie was thrilled to race a horse and then perform a horsefall. Just like in the Western she grew up watching. She won the car race and tied for second overall, giving her career a turbo start. Debbie sets the bar only as high as she knows she can clear when speaking to coordinators about her abilities. Never braggadocious, always precise. Visualization has always been central to her work. She calls it training her brain. I wish she'd train mine. A skill she refined in trials competition. Motorcycling opened the door to a world of excitement, leading to a resume of nearly 500 films. 500 films and television shows, performing every manner of stunts, and still eager for more. Never count her out. Debbie expanded what was possible for stunt women. Performing stunts once reserved for men. She has earned seven Taurus World Stunt Awards and countless nominations. She has served on SAG boards and committees to make our voices heard, and on the Taurus Blue Ribbon and Foundation committees, giving back to the community she values. She is a charter member of the United Stunt Women's Association and an honorary member of Stunts Unlimited. She cherishes the challenge of breaking down a nearly impossible stunt, solving it step by step, executing it with precision, and analyzing it afterward. She thrives on teamwork and camaraderie on set. However, family has always been her greatest pride. She and Lane Levitt, a three-time national champ, stunt man, innovator, and mentor, built a life grounded in faith, a partnership, and a shared passion. Lane is deeply missed. But his legacy and their love live on. Their children, Stephen, Daniel, and Rebecca, now joined by grandchildren Caleb and Anna, are her unsurpassed joy. When Debbie talks about her family, her face lights up. Her entire stunt family, all of you, are dear to her heart. And tonight, as only the second woman to receive this recognition recognition, we honor not just what she has done, but how she has done it. With blood, sweat, and tears, courage, tenacity, and grace, God, family, and work. Debbie, you have broken barriers for stunt women everywhere. You have inspired generations. You have set the standard, and my friend, you are still clearing the bar.

SPEAKER_17 30:49

Tonight we honor one woman standing five feet four inches tall who changed history and the future of our business. Miss Debbie raised the bar by showing that a life and sense didn't require sacrificing one thing to succeed at another. She built a career while building a family, proving that commitment and professionalism can exist alongside excellence. Her success came from preparation, discipline, and consistency on and offset. Beyond the work, Miss Debbie shaped this industry through the people around her. She became a role model, a mentor, a mother, and a friend. And for me personally, Miss Debbie sets the example. She shows what it's like to commit fully to this work and see it through with integrity. Her life wasn't built halfway. It was built with intention, grit, and follow-through. Watching that gives me a clear model for what is possible and what it takes to actually succeed here without compromising who you are. And in moments when I'm still learning, when this business is hard, she's there. She listens, she reassures me, she champions me, and she reminds me to keep my footing in God. And that kind of presence, it stays with you. Because of Miss Debbie, expectations changed, opportunities expanded, and forever, this world has changed. Miss Debbie, it is our honor to present you with the Taurus World Sun Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. But first, we have a video from a few friends that couldn't be here tonight.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

Debbie Debbie Debbie. All I can say is, wow, I'm so honored to be able to scratch the surface of your amazing career. We all know Debbie's a legend in the business. But a lot of people don't know that she's also a legend outside the business. Her husband Lane, who we missed dearly, was one of my best friends. As I got close to him, I realized one of the reasons he was so special was because of you, Debbie. I was blown away by your talent. Congrats to you, Debbie. We love you.

SPEAKER_04 33:24

When I think of Debbie Evans, the first thing that comes to mind is her boundless talent and professionalism. Over the 40 plus years I've known Debbie every single time I have hired her or even heard of her being hired, we all sing her praises, and rightfully so. She is still the go-to person for anything that you need done and done right. And for anyone out there who hasn't hired Debbie yet, and I don't think there's many, do yourself a favor and work with a true Hollywood legend. But don't underestimate her because she's still kicking ass and taking names when it comes to radical stunts. Debbie is the best of the best and truly deserves this lifetime achievement award. Congratulations, Debbie Evans.

SPEAKER_17 34:07

Debbie Evans, Debbie Evans.

SPEAKER_05 35:47

The shadow peels itself from the floor.

SPEAKER_17 37:31

The Helen Gibson Legendary Award goes to Debbie Evans.

SPEAKER_10 38:22

This is just amazing. I am so glad to be here tonight, and what an honor. And it's it's just a very, very special award to me because my friend and mentor, Jeannie Epper, got it before me. And I'm the second woman. So normally I like to just talk to people, but I have to read my things, so we'll all start reading so it gets done quicker, Christy. I'm so grateful to my good friend and mentor, Jeannie Epper, who took me under her wing when I was just 19 years old. She helped me to learn the business, the do's and don'ts, and how to handle myself on set. To my husband Lane, who proudly supported me, always believed in me, and pushed me to greater heights. My sister Donna, we share a very special bond through family and work. Chasing each other while the cops are holding traffic is just the best. To my kids whose friends never believed that I was a stunt woman, until I showed up at their class with my demo reel, and then they were like, that's your mom. That was always fun. To all the coordinators who trusted me to get things done, and the people who shared their knowledge with me. And God, my rock, who steadies me and gives me peace. My dad always said, my girls can do anything. Growing up, a girl that liked to do active things in the 60s and early 70s was tough. I was teased and called names because I liked activities that girls just weren't supposed to do. I never allowed others to change me just to fit in. And it's a good thing I didn't. For women, things have changed a lot since I got in the business. Men still doubled women, especially in cars and motorcycles. I never allowed oh, sorry. I'm glad now that more women have the opportunity to do the awesome stunts now. Sometimes it was tough. Men were allowed to make mistakes back then, but when a woman made the smallest of errors, they were judged way harsher than the guys. There were times when men, especially crew, would pre-judge me and I would choose not to respond in anger or snark. I just resolved to quietly prove them wrong. And many of those guys became my best friends and allies. Like my grandpa said, told me many times, don't judge anyone until they until you've walked two miles in their shoes. You never know what somebody's going through on any particular day. So always give them grace. On the other hand. Which way? Which hand? Okay. Oh no. There were most men gave me huge opportunities, which I'm very grateful for. My one of the things that I like to say to people is don't let other people's opinions of what you can or cannot do deter you from achieving your goals. If I had listened to them, I wouldn't be here tonight. On a final note, I know that a lot of people are going to talk about Drick and the Taurus World Stunt Awards in Red Bull, but the whole reason that we are here and doing what we do is the foundation. The foundation supports and helps people who are injured while doing stunts and their families. And I know you heard it on the video, but that's really my heart. And I'm on the Blue Ribbon Committee. Um and Carl Serfalio asked me if I wanted to do it. And I said, no, I'm not interested. And then he started telling me about the stunt foundation that that uh Dietrich was going to uh do for us, and that's when I got really excited about the Taurus World Stunt Awards. And uh gosh, it's been a quarter of a century and we're still here. It's so great. So a few things. If you get hurt and the doctor tells you you won't get better, prove them wrong. This is for the younger folks too that you know maybe listen to the doctor and a lot of times they're wrong. Especially with us. Um, I feel so blessed and grateful for my long career, the adventures, and all the wonderful friends I've made. If you have the courage to go after your dreams, you just might show someone else what's possible. Never stop learning. It keeps life interesting. Always be grateful. It keeps you humble. Walk through fear, work hard, and don't give up. And thank you very much.

SPEAKER_11 45:18

Tonight, as we celebrate twenty-five years of the Taurus World Stunt Awards, we mark a first. For the first time ever, the Taurus World Stunt Academy will present the Icon Award. This award, unlike any other, honors a career that has shaped action cinema and elevated the stunt community worldwide. Please welcome the executive producer of Taurus World Stunt Awards, Mitch Geller. And joining him, a legend in his own right, a longtime stunt double, collaborator, and friend to tonight's illustrious honoree, Billy Lucas.

SPEAKER_12 46:06

Billy, always getting all that attention. Anyway, thank you guys. And before we begin, I just want to take a moment and acknowledge a group that has quietly helped guide this organization for the last 25 years, the Blue Ribbon Committee. There's seven members, original members for 25 years who are here with us tonight. And from the very beginning, they have been the voice of the Taurus World Stun Awards within the community. They've protected the integrity, championed the mission, and they ensured that what Dietrich Mataschich ensured, envisioned, could truly take root. And without their support and guidance and belief in this show, we would not be standing here today celebrating this milestone. I'd also like to recognize one of these members who's standing right here, Mr. Billy Lucas. His commitment to this organization runs as deep, as deep as his friendship with our honoree. When we began discussing 25 years in our 25th anniversary, we asked ourselves one question. What does it mean to be an icon in the world of stunt performance? And the icon award has the icon award honors an individual whose career has left an indelible mark on the art, craft, and culture of stunt work. Not just someone who succeeded, but someone who elevated the entire community. This award represents an innovation, leadership, trust in stunt teams, and a commitment to authenticity that pushed action cinema forward. When Dietrich Mateschitz first conceptualized this show 25 years ago, it was his vision, and it was simple. We want to recognize, support the people who risked everything to make the impossible look real. And as an executive producer and someone who worked directly with Dietrich way back from the earliest conversations, I can tell you there was only one name that represented that spirit. And tonight we're proud to present the very first icon award to that only person who could ever receive it first.

SPEAKER_03 48:29

He accepted the best action hero that year, award that year. Not just as a star, but as someone who has acknowledged the stunt teams behind him. In 2002, he hosted this show. He didn't have to, but he believed in what this represented. He knew what it meant to us with the whole world watching. That there is no greater supporter of the stunt community to have ever earned the first ever Taurus World Stunt Academy icon award than our friend Arnold Schwarzenegger.

SPEAKER_16 49:21

Sure. Here's my invitation. Negative.

SPEAKER_02 50:59

And there may never be any happy again.

SPEAKER_13 51:04

I'll be back.

SPEAKER_16 51:56

Well, thank you very much for this wonderful honor. And I just love it. Look at this place, it's packed here. I mean, where were all of you when I opened up Hercules in New York 50 years ago? I cannot believe that. But anyway, it is great to be here, and I want to congratulate you to this spectacular show and uh the Tauros World Stunt Award. Um, I mean, they give me that honor, they give me this icon award. You know, you always there's two ways of getting someone to appear in Hollywood. One of them is you pay them, and the other one is to give them an award. So they gave me an award, but they didn't need to. I told them I love coming here anyway. I have now already 1,877 awards. That's true. I had my office counted. As a matter of fact, next week I'm gonna get an award for having the most awards. But in any case, I just want to tell you that this is not easy to get, this award. I mean, it took me five years from the time I was 15 to the time I was 20 to train five hours a day to win the Mr. Universe contest. And it took me it took me 50 years now in the movie business to get the Taurus Award. I mean, just think about that. I mean, to get the Icon Award took me 50 years in Mr. Universe five years, just to show you how difficult it is really to climb that ladder in this community. But the bottom line is I think Billy said something about my respect for the Stuntman community. Stunt men and women are real heroes. And I tell you that when I was 15 years old, I had dreams about being the world's most muscular man, and I had dreams about coming to Hollywood, and I had dreams to go and get into the movies and to do all kinds of great action. But not in my wildest dreams did I think about who will actually be doing all of this action. Because that's not what you dream of when you're 15 years old. And I had big dreams, but I recognized at one point in my life, when they said Arnold is a perfect example of the self-made man, I realized that is not true. That's bullshit. Because no one is self-made. So when they said he's the perfect example of a self-made man, I said, No, no, no, no. I am the product of a lot of help. It doesn't matter if it was in bodybuilding to have great training partners, or if I got good financial advice, or if I had people believing in me and bringing me to America, or if it was almost six million people that voted for me to become governor of the state of California. This is this is not self-made. I didn't make myself governor, I did not make myself to do any of those things. I was helped. I was helped. And so I recognized that right away that I should let people know and I should give people credit for helping me. And so when I went out there and I started talking about and giving people credit, it never took any credit away from me. Because you have to give credit where credit is due. What is what would I be if I wouldn't have had Terry Leonard in Conan the Barbarian? How could I have done Conan the Destroyer without Vic Armstrong? How could I have done any of the stunts in Commando and in in various different movies of Ray Hiddenstone without Billy Dobbins? I mean, and then Joel Kramer and Billy Lucas. And the list goes on and on and on. It is amazing the amount of people that helped me to shine on that screen. And the stunt men and the stunt women were there on every step of the way. They made me look heroic on a screen. So when you see the boss in this on a screen, that's not me. That's you. It's you, the stunt community that are risking your lives. We always talk about the firefighters and the police officers and the military, how they risk their lives to save others. But that's what you do too. You all of you, you risk your lives. I have seen people in front of me doing my stunts and then being hospitalized. I've seen people like Joel Kramer broke his back to do a stunt for me. I've seen Billy Lucas getting injured over and over again to do the stunts for me. Terry Leonard almost broke his back doing a stunt for me, and Conan the Barbarian. I saw it firsthand. People wiping out. I saw Billy Dobbins dying in front of me in Austria when we shot red heat. Right in front of me. Because he wanted to protect me. You see, that is why I have a tremendous respect for you. I love you. And so I am not the action hero. I play the action hero, but each and every one of you are the action heroes. Thank you very much, and I'll be back.

SPEAKER_09 58:46

So there you go. That's the 2026 Taurus World Stunt Awards, and it was a fun ride. Nobody expected Arnold Schwarzenegger to walk out on stage, by the way. Um an extraordinary moment, and uh well that's what happens when you hold a fair amount of clout in the business. You walk into a room and everybody takes a sharp intake of breath and looks round to make sure that they're not the only ones seeing what's going on. Sadly he was rushed in and out pretty quickly, so we didn't get a chance to say hi, but hey! There's always next time. Um I hope you've enjoyed that, and on Friday, uh you'll have a chance to see some of the footage from the night, as Taurus have very kindly provided some clips for me to show you all. Uh don't forget to subscribe. Thanks again, and until next time, it's bye for now.