Scott Leva

Scott Leva
Leva in 2006
OccupationsStuntman, stunt coordinator

Scott Leva is a Academy Award-winning stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor who entered stunt work in the 1970s.

Biography

Spider-Man

In 1985, Leva was tapped by Cannon Films & Joseph Zito (who was the 2nd director to replace Tobe Hooper as being the first director attached for Spider-Man) to play Spider-Man in their adaptation of the comics. He was also the actor on the first photographic cover of a Spider-Man comic book, appearing as Peter Parker, half-way in costume, on The Amazing Spider-Man, #262 (cover date March 1985). He can be seen in costume as Spider-Man, on the blooper reel for the 2000 film X-Men, on which he served as a stunt-coordinator.

Safety equipment designer

After a friend died doing a high fall, Leva started to tinker with the standard airbags used by stunt performers and eventually designed an airbag with a different structure. The older airbags had a tendency to throw a stunt performer if they didn't hit the bag perfectly, the new bag uses a different arrangements of air bladders and a less slippery top layer to help the performer to stay on the bag. He was awarded an Academy Award for Technical Achievement for this design.

Awards

Filmography highlights

Stunts or Stunt Coordinator

Actor

Film

Television

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

  • Ritual (2001/I) (second unit director)
  • Pilgrim (2000) (second unit director)
  • If Dog Rabbit (1999) (second unit director)
  • The Heist (1999) (second unit director)
  • Southern Cross (1999) (second unit director)
  • Gangster World (1998) (TV) (second unit director)
  • Mars (1998) (second unit director)
  • Acts of Betrayal (1997) (second unit director)
  • Mercenary (1997) (TV) (second unit director)
  • The Journey: Absolution (1997) (second unit director)
  • Mercenary II: Thick & Thin (1997) (TV) (second unit director)

Director

  • The Greatest Show Ever (2007) (TV)

References