5 Movie Set Accidents You May Not Have Heard About
We love action in the movies. Explosions, stunts, and near-death experiences keep us at the edge of our seats. As these scenes go by in the films, we’re comforted to know it’s all just make believe.
But to the actors, actresses, and stunt people in these films, the experiences are real. With potentially deadly car chases, wired stunts, dummy bullets, and pyrotechnics, a lot can go wrong. Behind the scenes, these professionals often risk life and limb to play their roles.
While we may perceive acting as completely safe, human error can’t be avoided – accidents do happen. In fact, they can befall anyone on set, from camera men and women to extras and legendary stars. Here are five film accidents you may not have heard about:
- Now You See Me. In this movie centered on magic tricks, Isla Fisher has a scene where she’s chained underwater in a tank. The point is for her to escape the chains and the tank, but while filming, the chain got caught. She was stuck underwater for about three minutes. While she struggled in the tank, fellow costars and movie set workers were commending her on her acting. Luckily, she managed to get to the quick-release switch in time and escape.
- The Lone Ranger. In this 2013 version of the film, Johnny Depp plays Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s sidekick. While his antics are both wise and comical in the movie, he suffered serious trauma after falling off a horse while filming. Depp’s saddle came loose as he was riding in a scene and he was thrown forward onto the horse’s neck. He held on to the mane and was dragged 25 yards before letting go in front of the horse. Luckily, the animal lifted its legs and Depp wasn’t crushed.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I. During a flying stunt for the film, David Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double through all of the movies, was thrown against a wall, fracturing his neck. At the age of 25, Holmes was paralyzed from the neck down with limited mobility in his arms and hands. Holmes has made light of the event, though; although he can’t walk, he races modified cars now.
- The Dark Knight. Conway Wickliffe was killed at the age of 41 while filming a scene for this movie. He was operating a camera in the back seat of a car that was supposed to travel alongside another vehicle. As he was leaning out to get a shot, the driver of his car failed to make a 90-degree turn and hit a tree. Wickliffe suffered serious injuries and died at the scene. This tragedy only added to the curse of Batman; Heath Ledger (who played the Joker) died and Morgan Freeman was in a car accident that same year.
- The Crow. Well, you probably have heard of this one. Brandon Lee tragically passed away during the filming of this movie. During a scene where Lee was supposed to be shot, the fragment of a dummy bullet became lodged in the barrel of the gun. The bullet fragment was fired out of the gun, striking and fatally wounding him. Lee’s death was deemed negligence by the film crew, but was ultimately ruled accidental.
While acting may seem like a glamorous job, those who do it sometimes risk their lives to deliver a star performance. As you sit down with your popcorn to check out the newest hit on the silver screen, remember that the actors and actresses, camera operators, and everyone on the sets you love to watch sometimes hazard more than just their reputations when they go to work.