'It's a crime' not to have Oscars for stunt performers, says Jon Bernthal

Rallying behind the stunt performing community, "Punisher" star Jon Bernthal has said it is "criminal" not to recognise the hard work and courage of stunt performers at the Academy Awards.

The actor is the latest name after Hollywood veteran Helen Mirren and filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie, and more to publicly lobby for the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences (AMPAS) to create an Oscars category for stunt work.

"They're my brothers, they're the people I'm closest with on set. I think it's absolutely a crime there's not an Academy Award for stunt performers.

"The stunt community, they're the ones really putting it on the line. The creativity that comes out of the stunt community is mind-boggling, Bernthal told Men's Health magazine.

The actor, who will next be seen in "Ford v Ferrari", believes one of the key reasons why audience seeks out entertainment is due to the top-notch stunt performances.

"I train with those guys every day, I try to go in full-out. It's kind of the mantra of a stunt guy, Do it hard, do it once.' Don't pull a punch, because then you're gonna have to do it 15 times. Just hit me, and do it once.' So we try to kind of live by that," he added.