Film Crew Roles · April 3, 2026 · 5 min read · EndCreditsPro Team

What Is a Stunt Double in Film?

Every action sequence the audience believes the star performed — someone else did it. The face you see, the body doing the work: different people.

A stunt double is a trained stunt performer who substitutes for a principal actor during physically hazardous or demanding sequences — falls, car crashes, fight choreography, fire work, and high-impact impacts that would put an uninsured, untrained actor at serious risk. Unlike a stand-in (who fills in for lighting and blocking purposes, never on-camera), a stunt double is photographed as the character.

The stunt double reports to the Stunt Coordinator, who designs and supervises all stunt sequences on a production. On large-scale films, a single actor may have multiple stunt doubles — one for driving sequences, one for high falls, one for wire work — each selected for their specialty.

Stunt doubles belong to the stunt department, which sits outside the standard crew department hierarchy. Under SAG-AFTRA rules, stunt performers are a separate contract category from principal actors.

Stunt performer Madeleine Trollvik rigged on a wire against a green screen on a film set street location

What does a stunt double do?

The Stunt Double’s Job on Set

The stunt double’s primary function is to perform dangerous or physically extreme actions in place of the credited actor — but the job extends well beyond execution day.

Pre-production:

Rehearse sequences with the Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director
Complete physical conditioning and skill-specific training (wire work, driving, fight choreography)
Attend costume and makeup fittings to match the principal actor’s look precisely
Participate in stunt rigging tests and safety checks

On set:

Perform the stunt as rehearsed and choreographed
Work closely with the Camera Department to ensure angles conceal their face where required
Coordinate with Special Effects for practical effects elements (ratchets, explosives, fire)
Provide coverage across multiple takes, adjusting for camera position and director notes

Key collaborators:

Stunt Coordinator — immediate supervisor; designs the gag and approves execution
2nd Unit Director — typically directs action sequences where the stunt double works
Director of Photography — frames shots to serve the illusion that the principal performed the stunt
Wardrobe and Makeup — ensure continuity with the principal actor

Stunt doubles are also expected to physically match the actor they double: matching height, build, hair color, and skin tone. For above-the-waist shots or partial reveals, the resemblance must hold under production lighting.

Film crew photographing an actor in a dark corridor during an action sequence, with cinematographer and director in frame

Where does the stunt double appear in film credits?

Stunt Double Credits in Film and Television

This is where most sources stop short — and where productions frequently make errors.

End credits placement: Stunt doubles appear in the Stunts section of the end crawl, which falls within the main crew block. They do not receive opening title cards. The format is:

STUNTS

Stunt Coordinator ........... JOHN SMITH
Stunt Double for [Actor Name] ........... JANE DOE
Stunt Double for [Actor Name] ........... MIKE JOHNSON
Additional Stunts ........... ALEX REED
                              SARAH LANE
                              CHRIS PARK

Example film end credits showing the STUNTS section with Stunt Coordinator, Stunt Double for named actors, and Additional Stunts credits in white and gold text on black

SAG-AFTRA rules: Under the SAG-AFTRA Stunt Agreement, stunt performers performing a specific stunt as a double for a principal actor must be credited as “Stunt Double for [Principal Actor Name].” The principal actor’s name used in the credit must match their credited name elsewhere in the film — not a nickname or informal reference.

Productions that list stunt doubles in a generic “Additional Stunts” block without attribution violate the intent of the contract, even if they technically comply with minimum credit requirements. The Screen Actors Guild has historically pushed for more transparent attribution, and productions of the 2020s have increasingly moved toward full “Stunt Double for [Name]” credits.

Television vs. feature film:

Features: Full stunt performer roster listed in end crawl, typically with “Stunt Double for [Name]” attribution for principal doubles
Television (episodic): End credits are compressed; stunt performers may be listed collectively or under the Stunt Coordinator’s umbrella credit, particularly on network television with strict runtime constraints
Streaming originals: Generally follow feature film conventions with full stunt department listings

When they don’t appear: Non-union productions and some international co-productions do not always list stunt performers at all. This is legally permissible outside of SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction but is considered poor practice by industry standards.

How to credit a stunt double correctly

Correct Credit Format for Stunt Doubles

The standard formats used across major productions:

Format 1 — Named double with attribution (recommended):

Stunt Double for Jane Doe ......... SAM RIVERS

Format 2 — Role-specific:

Driving Double for John Actor ......... CASEY HALL
Fight Double for John Actor ......... MORGAN WELLS

Format 3 — Grouped stunt performers:

Stunt Performers
  ALEX FORD
  DANA CROSS
  JAMIE SONG

(Used when performers executed general stunts not tied to a specific double assignment.)

Common errors to avoid:

Listing a named stunt double in the generic “Stunt Performers” block without attribution — this denies them the contractual credit they earned
Misspelling the principal actor’s name in the “Stunt Double for [Name]” credit
Omitting the stunt department entirely from episodic credits when stunt performers worked under a buyout deal
Using informal names: the principal actor’s credit must match exactly — “Stunt Double for Elizabeth Olsen,” not “Stunt Double for Scarlet Witch”

Stunt double vs. stand-in vs. body double

Understanding the Three Types of Doubles

These terms are often used interchangeably outside the industry — on set, they are three distinct roles with different contracts, different unions, and different credit treatment.

Role	On Camera?	Purpose	Credit Location
Stunt Double	Yes — during stunts	Performs dangerous physical action	End credits, Stunts section
Stand-In	No	Lighting and blocking preparation	Typically not credited, or thanked in special acknowledgments
Body Double	Yes — specific shots	Substitutes for actor’s body (nudity, hands, etc.) when face not shown	End credits, may appear as “Body Double for [Name]” or in Additional Crew

A body double performs shots where their face is not shown — close-ups of hands, intimate scenes where the actor isn’t comfortable or available, or situations where a physical trait (height, build) needs to match exactly. Body doubles do not necessarily have stunt training. They are credited separately from stunt doubles, typically in the Additional Crew section if credited at all.

The stand-in is not photographed as the character — they occupy the actor’s position while the crew sets up. They are paid a day rate under a separate contract and are rarely credited publicly.

How to become a stunt double

Stunt Double Career Path and Training

There is no formal degree program for stunt performance — the path is built from athletic specialization, industry networking, and demonstrated skill.

Foundation skills:

Martial arts (most in-demand): Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, krav maga, Muay Thai
Gymnastics and acrobatics: essential for wire work and fall sequences
Driving: precision driving and high-speed vehicle control for automotive stunts
Swimming and diving: underwater sequences and high-dive work
Horseback riding: required for period productions

Most working stunt performers are competitive-level athletes in at least two disciplines before they seek their first stunt job.

Breaking in:

Join a stunt school or training group connected to working coordinators
Build a demo reel showcasing specific skills — fights, falls, driving
Get a SAG-AFTRA Stunt Performer voucher through non-union work, then upgrade
Network with Stunt Coordinators directly — the stunt community is small and referral-driven

The Stunt Coordinator is the gatekeeper. New stunt performers rarely get hired without a personal recommendation from someone the coordinator trusts. Entry-level work includes background stunts, crowd action, and uncredited adjustment work.

Stunt double salary

How Much Do Stunt Doubles Earn?

SAG-AFTRA sets minimum rates for stunt performers under the Stunt Agreement. As of the current contract cycle:

Day rate (minimum): approximately $1,006/day (SAG-AFTRA scale)
Weekly guarantee: most coordinators negotiate week-long minimums for their performers
Stunt adjustment: an additional negotiated fee paid on top of the day rate for each specific stunt performed — the more dangerous the gag, the higher the adjustment

Stunt adjustments are where the real compensation lives. A high fall might add $500–$3,000 to a day’s base rate. A fire gag, a full car crash, or a motorcycle slide can add significantly more. Top stunt performers — those with specialized skills and feature film credits — negotiate adjustments that bring single-day earnings into five figures.

Non-union and low-budget productions often pay flat rates with no adjustment structure, which is one reason injuries disproportionately occur on lower-budget sets: performers accept underpaid gags with fewer safety resources.

Notable stunt performers with long careers — coordinators like David Leitch (John Wick, Bullet Train) and performers like Zoë Bell (Kill Bill, Death Proof) — have used stunt careers to move into directing and producing. Bell began as a stunt double for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and later appeared as herself in Tarantino’s Death Proof, a rare on-screen acknowledgment of stunt work’s artistry.

Notable stunt doubles in film history

Famous Stunt Doubles and Their Work

Aline Goodwin, stunt double for Vivien Leigh, in a Selznick makeup still from Gone with the Wind (1939)

Zoë Bell — Stunt double for Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess) and Uma Thurman (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2). Later cast as herself in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (2007), making her one of the few stunt performers whose double work became the basis of a starring role.

Chad Stahelski — Stunt double for Keanu Reeves in The Matrix trilogy. Stahelski went on to co-direct John Wick (2014) and its sequels, built directly on his stunt background. He and David Leitch are among the most commercially successful filmmakers to come out of the stunt community.

Gary Powell — British stunt coordinator who has doubled and coordinated on James Bond films for decades. Powell’s work spans from GoldenEye to No Time to Die, representing some of the most technically complex practical stunt work in franchise filmmaking.

Dar Robinson — Pioneered high-fall and skyscraper stunt work in the 1970s and 1980s. His world record falls for films like Sharky’s Machine (1981) set the technical standard for height work before safety equipment reached current sophistication.

Sources & Further Reading

SAG-AFTRA Stunt Agreement — rates, credit requirements, and stunt adjustment definitions
Double (occupation) — Wikipedia — overview of doubles categories
Stunt Performers: AFTA Career Overview — career path overview

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Related roles: Stunt Coordinator · Gaffer · Foley Artist · All Film Crew Roles