The action-comedy film "The Fall Guy," directed by David Leitch, has made headlines not only for its thrilling stunts but also for breaking a Guinness World Record. Stunt driver Logan Holladay achieved this feat while filming in Sydney, Australia, by executing a remarkable eight and a half cannon rolls with a car, surpassing the previous record of seven set during the filming of "Casino Royale" in 2006 by Adam Kirley, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
During a special screening event in Los Angeles, stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt honored Holladay with the official Guinness certificate. Gosling also revealed that Holladay has a cameo in the film, where he can be seen preparing Gosling's character's stunt double for the daring stunt sequence. Just days before this event, Gosling and Blunt had paid tribute to stunt performers during a dedicated segment at the 2024 Oscars ceremony.
“He’s buckling me into a car for a stunt he’s about to do, and then he goes on to do eight and a half cannon rolls, which is a world record,” Gosling revealed.
“Then, he pulls me out of the car and pats me on the back for the stunt that he just did. In any other movie, you wouldn’t know that. But in this movie, you do. There’s a lack of recognition for the contribution that [stunt performers] make to cinema and some of the best moments in films that we love so much. That ends here.”
Continuing, Gosling lauded the numerous stunt performers who portrayed Colt, highlighting their individual mastery in various skills.
“It took like eight performers to make one Fall Guy,” the actor added. “There were times when I was like, ‘Should we be making a movie or robbing a bank? ‘This is kind of the greatest bank robbing team. Everyone had their own special skill. It was like the Avengers or something. And, in fact, a lot of them probably were the Avengers. Just look at their CVs.”
Leitch, a veteran stunt performer known for doubling for A-list actors such as Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, transitioned into directing with adrenaline-fueled films like "John Wick," "Atomic Blonde," and "Bullet Train." His vision for "The Fall Guy" was to pay homage to the stunt community, highlighting their skills in driving, fight scenes, and falls.
“Stunt people and all the blue-collar crews were struggling this year as we had our labor strikes,” Leitch stated in December. “They’re the ones that really make the magic happen. I just thought it was time to tell a story from their perspective.”
Holladay, a seasoned stunt performer with credits in films like "Shazam!" and "Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw," shared his personal connection to the stunt world. “Growing up, my dad was a stuntman, so the influence of film sets and the world of stunts was always there,” he shared in a press release.
“When I learned about The Fall Guy going into production, I knew I had to be part of it. As for the cannon rolls, after two practice runs and one real take, we had one car and one shot left. And after I hit the eight-and-a-half rolls, I had a pretty good feeling that I had broken the record because it felt like the spinning was never going to stop. It was a surreal moment and I’m incredibly proud of what the team achieved.”
In addition to Holladay's remarkable stunt work, "The Fall Guy" features a talented ensemble cast including Hannah Waddingham, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu, and Winston Duke. The film is set to premiere in theaters on May 3rd.
