Stuntwoman Charges That ‘Wigging’ Is Discrimination Against Women

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—A Hollywood stuntwoman’s charge that the practice of having men do movie stunts while disguised as women—nicknamed “wigging”—is sex discrimination has rattled the industry, in which none of the four main stunt performers’ organizations have any female members. Deven MacNair filed the federal complaint last September after a November 2016 incident in which a male stunt coordinator did a car-chase scene himself in a wig and women’s clothes instead of letting her drive as a double for actress Kate Bosworth. He had decided the stunt was too dangerous for MacNair, and accused her of “trying to gain celebrity by hating” in an email. MacNair has also accused SAG-AFTRA of failing to enforce its contract, which says that the “stunt coordinator shall endeavor to identify and recruit” qualified stuntwomen to double for identifiably female characters. A union official told her it had sent the production company a “notice of violation” and was still trying “to obtain an adequate response.” Two stuntmen’s organizations, Stunts Unlimited and the International Stunt Association, are now considering allowing women to join, Deadline reported. “I can’t believe we’re still fighting about this in 2018,” MacNair told the publication. Read more