Stunt coordinators Steven and Leslie McMichael have been shortlisted for a Canadian Screen Award for their work on Wynonna Earp: Vengeance.
The Cochrane-area couple has extensive careers in film and TV, with many projects shot in Alberta. They don't always get to work together, making this joint nomination for Canada’s premier film, television, and digital awards particularly special.
"It's great. I mean, 30 years of work, and this is the first time we're being nominated for this award. We were both nominated for different shows at the inaugural Taurus World Stunt Awards back in 2001, but this is the first time we've ever been nominated together. So, you know, hey, keep it in the family. Nepotism is great."
He says many people may not realize it, but this is Canada's equivalent of an academy award nomination.
"If you win, it's like getting an Oscar. All be it, it's a Canadian run show, but still, it's on that level, so we're beyond ecstatic to be truthfully honest."
Shot in southern Alberta, the television movie is based on the supernatural cult series that ran for four seasons until 2021. The stand-alone film was made in response to an outcry from fans of the series.
The movie has been nominated for a total of nine Canadian Screen Awards, including Best TV Movie.
The winners will be announced on May 31.
In the paranormal drama, Wynonna battles demons and hellish creatures in the small town of Purgatory, wielding Wyatt Earp's demon-killing gun, Peacemaker. She is tasked with taking down Revenants—outlaws killed by Wyatt Earp who have been resurrected due to the Earp Curse.
Having worked together on the original Wynonna Earp series that ran on SYFY from 2016 to 2021, the McMichaels went into production knowing all the elements of the stunts involved.
"When you have amazing actors who can do a lot of their own stunts and want to be part of the design, and then have showrunner Emily Andras and director Paolo Barzman put their trust in us, it felt like going back to a family."
Steven came to understand the passionate Earp fandom when he was invited to attend Earptopia in Calgary.
"I could not believe the fandom—it was crazy. People traveled from New Zealand, from Central and Eastern Europe, just to attend. I got to sit on a panel and talk to so many of them. It felt like all these fans were part of an extended family."
The knowledge of the fans even exceeded what he had experienced when appearing at Comic-Con in 2012 for The Hobbit.
"I've never seen fans know so much about a show as I did with this last Wynonna Earp event."
Their latest recognition follows their stunt coordination on the acclaimed film The Order. Steven was also the second unit director.
Steven calls it one of his favourite shows to have worked on.
"The director, Justin Kurzel, was outstanding. Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult are just absolutely fantastic human beings, and to be able to share that with my wife, too, was fantastic."
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Steven has worked on over 125 feature films and television productions as a stunt performer, fight choreographer, stunt coordinator, second unit director, and director.
Recently, he led the stunt team for Prey, which won a Prime Rib Award from the Dead Meat Horror Awards in 2023.
Leslie has been performing stunts since 1996 and became Alberta's first female stunt coordinator in 2015.
With a PhD in media psychology, she has studied the effects of serial concussions in stunt performers and continues to educate and promote concussion awareness in the industry.
She is also connected to another film producer and actress with Cochrane roots. Recently, Leslie served as stunt coordinator for the movie Faultline, which was co-produced and co-starred Stacie Harrison.