Remembering Toni Vaz: A Trailblazer in Hollywood
Toni Vaz, a pioneering figure in the film industry and one of the first Black stuntwomen in Hollywood, passed away on October 4 in Los Angeles at the age of 101. Her remarkable career spanned over 50 films, and she was instrumental in the establishment of the N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards, a prestigious platform created to honor the often-overlooked contributions of Black writers and performers.
Cheryl Abbott, her great-niece, revealed that Vaz’s death was due to congestive heart failure, occurring at a retirement home for actors situated in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.
When Toni Vaz embarked on her career in the 1950s, the concept of a Black stunt performer was virtually nonexistent. Many Black performers, including Vaz, were relegated to the status of extras, often without any formal training. They frequently faced significant risks on set, unaware of the potential dangers until they were thrust into action.
One notable incident occurred during the filming of Porgy and Bess in 1959. Tasked with leaning out of a window to catch a glimpse of the film’s stars, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sidney Poitier, Vaz was unaware that a carpenter had deliberately compromised the railing. As she leaned on it, the railing gave way, sending her plummeting several feet onto a mattress below. Although shaken, she was offered a shot of brandy to help her recover from the ordeal.
Throughout her illustrious career, Toni Vaz played a vital role in supporting prominent Black actresses such as Eartha Kitt, Cicely Tyson, and Juanita Moore, who were striving to escape the confines of racially stereotyped roles that had dominated Hollywood for far too long. However, despite her contributions, Vaz and her fellow Black stunt performers often received significantly lower pay than their white counterparts for the same work.
In a striking example of this disparity, while standing in for Juanita Moore during a scene in The Singing Nun (1966), Vaz and a white stuntwoman were directed to crash a jeep. Vaz received a mere $40 for her efforts, whereas the white performer was compensated with $350, highlighting the inequities that persisted in the industry.