Clever signs and costumes have been part of the dual Hollywood strikes since they began, but one stunt performer brought the heat at a SAG-AFTRA rally in Fayetteville, Georgia, by getting set on fire.
Mike Massa, who’s worked on over 100 projects across several decades and was Harrison Ford’s stunt double in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, attended a rally as SAG-AFTRA stunt performers advocated for many of the changes as their fellow striking actors. Holding up a SAG-AFTRA sign on the stage, Massa pointed to the cheering crowd to get them riled up as his back was covered in flames.
@jessicagolich Tbh that’s kinda 🔥 art 🔥 #harrisonfordstuntman #sagaftrastrike #sagaftrastrong #sagaftrastrike2023 #sagaftrastrikeauthorization ♬ Law and Order – The Hollywood Prime Time Orchestra
Massa was on fire for 18 seconds as part of the planned stunt. Like other kinds of stuntwork on the sets of movies and TV shows, steps were taken ahead of time to plan out the stunt to ensure Massa’s safety, including having protective gel placed on his body so that the flames wouldn’t actually burn him.
“And I think it [made a point],” Massa told the Washington Post. “Which is, look at the risk an individual took just to stand onstage and go, ‘Hey, look, we’re fighting for our rights, and we want you to pay attention to us and believe in us.’”
But as clips of Massa’s stunt went viral on multiple social media platforms, people were even more in awe of what people like Massa could do.
“Stunt performers deserve so much,” one commenter wrote on TikTok. “The movies would not be near as cool without them willing to do crazy dangerous stuff for our entertainment.”
“When stunt people picket against the AMPTP, they out-picket all of us,” Todd Spence tweeted.
Massa’s stunt is a flashy way to get more attention on a widely supported strike. But it also highlights some grim realities about stuntwork. It can be extremely dangerous even as performers make it look effortless. And while many have advocated for greater recognition for stunt performers (including fighting for the creation of a best stunt Oscar), it’s still an uphill battle for the folks on the ground.
