The triumphs and challenges of 2024
Brendan Fraser revealed that he “nearly” died while filming one particular scene in 1999's 'The Mummy.' Speaking on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show,' the actor revealed that in a hanging sequence the rope tightened around his neck too much and he was choked out. “I was standing on my toes like this, with the rope [around my neck], and you only got so far to go,” Fraser explained. “And [director] Stephen [Sommers] ran over, and he said, ‘Hey, it doesn’t really look like you’re, you know, choking—can you sell it?’ And I was like, ‘All right, fine.’ So I thought, ‘One more take, man.'”
During the filming of 'P.S. I Love You' in 2007, Gerard Butler had a close call with Hilary Swank that almost resulted in a serious injury. The actor recounted a scene where he had to perform a rather comical dance in boxer shorts and suspenders. However, things took a dangerous turn when a suspender clip, which was intended to strike Butler's character in the face, ended up slashing Swank's head instead.
During the filming of the CBS drama 'The Good Wife' in 2012, Kristin Chenoweth experienced a serious accident.The incident left Chenoweth with a seven-inch fracture in her skull, as well as injuries to her ribs and teeth. “My hair extensions saved my [life]” Chenoweth said. “It made the hairline fracture go together. My doctor said, ‘What are these metal things?’ I said, ‘They’re hair extensions.’ And he said, ‘They’ve saved your life.’” She later revealed that she regrets not taking legal action against the TV network at the time.
On June 16, 2022, during a ride in a production van near Mulegé, Mexico, on the Baja California Sur peninsula, a tragic accident occurred involving some cast and crew members of the Netflix series 'The Chosen One.' The van crashed and flipped, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of actors Raymundo Garduño Cruz and Juan Francisco González Aguilar, who is professionally known as Paco Mufote. In addition, six other individuals from the cast and crew sustained injuries.
Former stuntman and daredevil Jonathan Goodwin suffered permanent damage on the set of 'America's Got Talent: Extreme' back in October 2021. The daredevil performer was trying out an extreme stunt shortly before the premiere, but it all went devastatingly wrong. Goodwin was suspended 70 feet (21 meters) in the air, strapped into a straitjacket. The goal was to release himself from the jacket and drop onto an air mattress below before two cars hanging on either side of him crashed together. The timing was off and Goodwin was instead hit by the cars which burst into flame. When he fell to the ground, he missed the air mattress and hit his head.
His fiancée, Amanda Abbington, later revealed that he had "lost a kidney, broke both shoulder blades, shattered both legs." She continued the long list, "Third-degree burns, broke his spine and severed his spinal cord and nearly died. And then on the operating table, he nearly died again." Goodwin was paralyzed in the accident and will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Despite the traumatic, life-changing event, he is positive about the future. "A lot has changed in the last 6 months, but love is a constant and I'm very very loved. Looking forward to my next chapters and being a role model," he quipped on Instagram.
Johnny Knoxville, widely recognized for his recklessness with his own safety, has emerged as an unforgettable figure in the world of entertainment. Knoxville disclosed a grave injury he sustained during the filming of 'Jack*ss Forever.' A daring interaction with a bull resulted in a broken wrist, fractured ribs, and a concussion.
Though she followed the instructions exactly, the bear did not slow down and did not go for her honey-covered hand. "He grabs me by the leg and he pulls me through the forest. My mother happens to be visiting set, so she’s screaming. The whole crew is frozen because no one can believe what’s happening. All I can think to say is, ‘He’s biting me,’ like it’s not obvious.” Fortunately, the film's bear wrangler started throwing rocks at the animal until it started charging at him, giving Campbell the opportunity to escape. She was lucky to get away without any major injuries.
In the action-thriller 'The 355,' Jessica Chastain portrays a CIA agent and took on several of her own stunts during filming. However, a frightful mishap resulted in a head injury that required a trip to the hospital. While shooting a fight scene on a marble floor, Chastain accidentally struck her head, causing an audible "crack" sound. Alarmed, her stunt double immediately approached her, saying, "I'm sorry, but I have to put it back in." This caused her to panic, "Put what back in? Are my brains outside of my face? What is happening?" Reflecting on the moment, she said, "I guess it was just a bruise she was pushing back in my head."
Director Adam McKay revealed a close call that actor Will Ferrell had on the set of 'Anchorman 2' in 2013. "It was a scene where Ron Burgundy was going to hang himself. It was a silly joke. For a half a second, the rig didn't operate properly and there was actual tension on the rope, but then it gave way and Will was OK. Thank God no one was hurt."
Jason Momoa, a beloved strongman in Hollywood, has encountered many on-set injuries despite his impressive abilities. While filming 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,' where he takes on daring stunts, Momoa learned firsthand about the hazards of being an "aging superhero." During a discussion with Ellen DeGeneres, he revealed, "I messed up my eyes. I just got something in it that kinda cut it up, and then I've gotta get surgery, I have a hernia, I've got ribs out." Apparently unphased, he continued, "I'm just getting beat up, but it's gonna be a great movie, you're gonna love it."
The 'Fast and Furious' movies are known for their thrilling stunts. In Hertfordshire, during filming in 2019, Vin Diesel's stunt double sustained a significant head injury.
In 2017, there was a motorcycle accident on set involving stuntwoman Joi Harris, resulting in her tragic death.
Stuntman John Bernecker tragically fell from a balcony, plummeting over 20 ft (6 m). Sadly, he passed away the following day.
Ricardo Cornelius, a crew member, tragically died in an accident involving a vehicle on set. Olivia Jackson, a stunt double, also sustained severe injuries, although thankfully she did not suffer the same fate.
50 Cent offered his condolences following a fatal accident involving crew member Pedro Jimenez, who was hit by a car while working on set in New York City.
In 2016, an unnamed construction worker died while dismantling the movie set in Budapest, Hungary.
A worker, whose name remains undisclosed, lost their life while dismantling a set in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tragically, they fell from a scissor lift on the set.
Cameraman Brent Hershman tragically passed away after working a demanding 19-hour day on set, leading to widespread criticism towards film studios despite the incident occurring off set.
Pilots Milton Elliott and Ormer Locklear (pictured) died while filming nighttime scenes for this movie.
Brandon Lee, the actor who portrayed the main character in 'The Crow,' tragically passed away from a gunshot inflicted by a prop gun months prior to the movie's premiere.
In 1988, actor Roy Kinnear passed away following a horse riding accident.
Three actors, Vic Morrow, Myca Dinh Le, and Renee Shin-Ye Chen, tragically died while filming 'Twilight Zone'.
A well-known scene in this Bond movie involves an exciting chase on a bobsleigh. Tragically, during this stunt, a stuntman named Paolo Rigon lost his life after colliding with a tree.
Michael Bridger, a crew member, tragically drowned while cleaning a water tank.
In this made-for-TV movie starring David Birney (pictured), a cameraman named Jack Tandberg was hit and killed by a stunt car.
During the production of this crime drama, cameraman Rob Van Der Kar tragically died in a helicopter accident.
Jayan, an iconic Indian actor, tragically died in a helicopter accident while making this movie.
David Knowles, a climber, body double, and photographer, died during a rock fall incident while filming 'The Eiger Sanction.'
This 1922 incident marked an early tragedy in the film industry. While shooting on a boat, Grace McHugh and camera operator Owen Carter capsized. Owen Carter tried to rescue Grace, but unwittingly pulled her into quicksand. Tragically, the crew helplessly witnessed their futile struggle against the engulfing quicksand and they both died.
While shooting the 1925 film 'Ben-Hur,' an unidentified stuntman tragically died during the production of a chariot race scene.
While filming 'Ocean's Deadliest,' Steve Irwin tragically died after being struck by a stingray during a break.
In the year 2002, numerous lives were tragically lost in the Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide. This devastating incident claimed the lives of beloved actor and director Sergei Bodrov, Jr., as well as several members of the film crew.
David Brostoff, a focus puller, tragically passed away while working on this film starring Gia Carides. The incident occurred during a motor race scene, and he is deeply missed.
George Maharis (pictured) played a starring role in this film. Tragically, a stuntman named Jack Tyree died while performing a stunt in Los Angeles.
Alec Baldwin and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were at the heart of the most devastating on-set accident in recent history. The tragic incident occurred on October 21, 2021, when a prop gun held by Baldwin on the set of the film 'Rust' misfired and killed 42-year-old Hutchins. The film’s director, Joel Souza, was also shot and wounded.
For the last take, Fraser stood on his toes while a crew member pulled the rope a little higher. "I was stuck on my toes—I had nowhere to go but down,” Fraser recalled. “And so he was pulling up, and I was going down, and the next thing I knew, my elbow was in my ear, the world was sideways, there was gravel in my teeth, and everyone was really quiet." When the stunt coordinator woke him, he informed him, "Congratulations, you’re in the club—the same thing happened to Mel Gibson on Braveheart.” 'The Whale' star joked that he could only respond, “Thanks, I think? I wanna go home!”
Butler vividly recalled the horrifying moment, saying, "I'm crawling towards the bed, it gets stuck, it releases and flies over my head, hits her in the head, slashes her head." Swank was rushed to hospital and made a full recovery.
Neve Campbell was once attacked by a bear on an unnamed movie set in Canada when she was 17. “I was playing this role where she’s ‘one with the animals’ and there was a scene where I’m supposed to be getting chased by a bear. They brought this bear on set and they first gave me this big bottle of Coke to feed it. So now, this is a bear on a sugar rush. And then, they said—and I’m 17, so I’m really dumb—they said, ‘Dip your hand in honey and just run. And when you get to the tree over there, turn around and stick your hand out and feed the bear.’ And I, of course, wanting to please everyone was like, ‘Ok!’”
Alec Baldwin was the one holding the gun when it fired, and on-set armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for setting it up. In the year following the accident, there were lawsuits, accusations, and a great deal of public debate about who is at fault. Santa Fe prosecutors announced in 2023 that both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
During the filming in Austria, stuntman Bennie Dobbins tragically suffered a fatal heart attack.
Spanish air force pilot Don Federico Iglesias Lanzos lost his life while working on the film 'Battle of Britain.'
While shooting 'XXX,' Harry L. O'Connor, the stunt double for Vin Diesel, tragically died in a parasailing accident.
On February 6, 2024, a terrible accident occurred on the set of Marvel's new TV series, 'Wonder Man.' A 41-year-old crew member named Juan Osorio died at the Radford Studio Center in Los Angeles. He was believed to be a lighting technician and died following an incident on a high walkway. A government agency called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into his death.
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and friends, and our support is behind the investigation into the circumstances of this accident," said a Marvel spokesperson in a brief statement. Filming of the Disney+ show, which stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, was due to begin in March.
During the filming of the movie in Elin Pelin, Bulgaria, a stuntman named Kun Lieu tragically died in an incident involving a staged explosion on a rubber boat.
Sonja Davis, a stunt double for Angela Bassett (left), passed away following a tragic fall.
Beyond these physical traumas, Johnny experienced substantial brain damage, which culminated in a prolonged state of cognitive impairment. Struggling with concentration and normal functioning, he confesses, "I can't take any more hits to the head…. My brain was just playing tricks on me. I got really depressed and over-focused on things. I did have to start medication for the first time in my life," he said in an interview. He says he won't be doing any more extreme stunts after that scare.
During the filming of this low-budget movie, Neal Fredericks, the cinematographer, died in a plane crash.
These incidents serve as poignant reminders of the importance of safety protocols and ethical considerations in the entertainment industry. No one should ever be in danger at work.
For more terrifying stories of on-set injuries and deaths that never should have happened, click through the gallery.
Terrifying accidents that occurred on TV and film sets
A crew member has died on the set of Marvel TV series 'Wonder Man'
MOVIES Accidents
Hollywood still has a long way to go when it comes to ensuring the safety of cast and crew on set. It's not that surprising to hear of accidents like this 50 or 100 years ago when the technology and equipment used weren't as advanced, but what excuse is there in this day and age?
These incidents serve as poignant reminders of the importance of safety protocols and ethical considerations in the entertainment industry. No one should ever be in danger at work.
For more terrifying stories of on-set injuries and deaths that never should have happened, click through the gallery.