Who was Jery Hewitt? Real story behind 'New Amsterdam' tribute to stuntman who tragically died at 71
The highly anticipated new season of 'New Amsterdam' premiered on March 2, and not surprisingly touched on the pandemic and the lives that have been lost in 2020. Like other medical shows such as 'Grey's Anatomy', 'New Amsterdam' chose to pay tribute to the lives lost in the year gone by. As the screen faded to black in the final minutes of the first episode of Season 3, fans noticed one particular name, that of Jery Hewitt.
So who was Jery Hewitt? Hewitt was one of the most well-respected stunt co-ordinators in the film industry and was something of a legend. He worked with several of the best-known filmmakers in Hollywood, most notably with the Coen brothers. Hewitt worked on 14 movies with the Coen Brothers, including 'The Big Lebowski' and 'No Country for Old Men'.
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Hewitt also worked with other well-known filmmakers such as Jodie Foster and Mike Nichols. He was once described as the "thinking man's stunt co-ordinator". This is perhaps what led to him being entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating all 20 seasons of 'Law and Order' and 22 seasons of 'Law and Order: SVU'. As for Hewitt's connection with 'New Amsterdam', he worked on 14 episodes of the medical drama.
Besides Hollywood, Hewitt also had several other interests. He graduated with a degree in food science before he got into movie making and that kicked off a lifelong commitment to being ecologically conscious. This also inspired him to build his own home with the help of friends and family in Warwick, New York.
Hewitt is survived by his wife Jennifer who was also his collaborator on sets and worked with him on films such as the remake of 'Pure Grit'. He is also survived by his children Harry, Kevin, Sam and Molly. Hewitt died suddenly at the age of 71 on November 21. According to The Hollywood Reporter, his family shared that he suffered from a catastrophic stroke.
A statement issued by his family said, "His laser-focused attention to detail ensured the safety of those he was working with and allowed the precision of the moment to be captured on film with clarity and the true beauty of the story he was helping to tell".