"Olivia, I had no idea there were female stunt drivers. We just put a guy in a wig." This is what was said to me in November 2019 as I left a commercial production meeting, effectively negating the industry visibility that I've continued to fight for since my first day on set. It wasn't the first time I'd heard comments like this; I've heard whisperings of men wearing wigs since I started as a stunt driver fifteen years ago. It sadly wasn't a new idea to SAG-AFTRA either. And despite it being against SAG-AFTRA rules, it has never been enforced under the current leadership.
Due to the coronavirus emergency, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is postponing the 2021 Oscars to April 25 rather than the usual late February date. The eligibility period will also extend to February 28 instead of late December to account for the months in quarantine. As the United States confronts a pandemic and increasing attention on systemic racism at all levels of our society, the more interesting question is how (or if) will this high caliber ceremony systematically change to address its own history of racism and cultural bias and how (or if) the nominees will reflect a more diverse collection of perspectives.