Toni Vaz (1922–2024), NAACP Image Award creator
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2 min readToni Vaz was an actress and the first Black stuntwoman in Hollywood, best known for being the creator of the NAACP Image Awards.
- Died: October 4, 2024 (Who else died on October 4?)
- Details of death: Died in Woodland Hills, California at the age of 101.
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Toni Vaz’s legacy
Vaz’s parents came to the United States from Barbados, and she lived in New York City in her early years. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s to pursue a career in Hollywood, at first landing small roles in films like “Anna Lucasta” and “The Singing Nun,” but finding ongoing success when she transitioned to more risky on-screen roles as a stuntwoman. She was the first Black stuntwoman in Hollywood.
Vaz had over 50 TV and film credits doing stunt work, including doubling for Cicely Tyson (1924–2021) on “Mission: Impossible,” as well as for singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927–2008) and Oscar nominee Juanita Moore (1914–2014). She and the actresses for whom she doubled may have had careers, but Vaz believed they lacked something just as important: recognition for their work. With that in mind, in 1967, she created the NAACP Image Awards. The ceremony has been held every year since, honoring performers of color for their work in entertainment.
Ironically, for five decades, Vaz did not get credit for her consequential feat. However, she received the Image Awards’ Founders Award in 2021. Now fully credited for her celebratory efforts, Vaz is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2025.
Notable quote
“In those days, the jobs black people got were playing maids, hookers, Aunt Jemimas. That upset me … We can play attorneys and doctors. So I thought, why don’t we change that image?” — Interview with the Hollywood Reporter, 2019
Tributes to Toni Vaz
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
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