Rust shooting

7 Actors Who Were Severely Injured On A Film Set

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While the glitz and glamour of Hollywood often captivate audiences with larger-than-life spectacles, the reality of filmmaking is not always as glamorous as it seems. Behind the scenes, actors put their bodies on the line to bring characters to life, sometimes facing grave dangers in the process. From daring stunts to unexpected mishaps, the film set can be a perilous environment where serious accidents occur. Despite rigorous safety protocols put into place by studios and insurance agencies, there have been instances where actors have sustained severe injuries during production, serving as a stark reminder of the risks involved in the pursuit of cinematic excellence. Here are seven actors who were injured on set.

Read More: Halle Berry “Bruised” Film Halts Production After Injury From Fight Scene

7. Tom Hanks – Cast Away (2000)

Tom Hanks delivered a truly inspired performance in the 2000 film Cast Away, including a shocking body transformation that required a prolonged break from production. What many fans may not realize when watching the film, however, is that the actor suffered a near-fatal injury on set while shooting on an island in Fiji. At some unidentified point during filming, Hanks developed a gash on his leg, which he had examined by a doctor.

After taking one look at the wound, the doctor informed Tom Hanks that he would need to go to an area hospital immediately, as the cut had contracted a serious infection that nearly claimed his life. The leading man fought the infection for three full days in a hospital room as production on the film paused. Thankfully, Hanks was able to make a full recovery and get back to work expeditiously, though the experience surely left him shaken.

6. Jeremy Renner – Tag (2018)

Jeremy Renner is another actor who experienced a serious injury on a film set. The MCU actor apparently broke both of his arms while shooting the 2018 film Tag, which centers on a group of adult friends who have continued the tradition of a long-running game of tag since childhood. During one particularly stunning sequence, Renner’s character attempts to evade his friends’ grasp by climbing up a 20-foot-high stack of more than two dozen chairs.

After some defective rigging caused one of the chairs to break, Renner tumbled from the mountain of chairs, leading to the action hero’s hospital admission. Portions of the finished movie reportedly required green-screening to obscure Jeremy Renner’s casts, as he returned to work almost immediately despite his broken bones. Renner has taken many licks in the past several years, both on and off the screen, and is currently still in recovery after a nearly fatal snow-plow accident that he suffered over a year ago. Luckily, the actor seems to be capable of bouncing back from nearly anything.

Read More: “Fast & Furious 9” Stuntman Injured On Set, Production Halted

5. Jim Caviezel – The Passion Of The Christ (2004)

Mel Gibson’s 2004 feature The Passion Of The Christ has been the subject of a great deal of behind-the-scenes turmoil, leading many cast and crew members to believe that the production was cursed by God himself. Leading actor Jim Caviezel specifically suffered many injuries on the set of the 2004 film, including two lashings from a real whip, leaving behind a permanent 14-inch scar on his back. Caviezel also caught pneumonia and hypothermia from filming in extreme temperatures, and dislocated his shoulder from bearing the weight of a 150-pound cross, echoing the struggle of the real Jesus Christ.

The worst injury that Jim Caviezel experienced during the production of The Passion Of The Christ saw him being struck by lightning, which he was unable to take cover from because he was tied to the cross during the storm. The lightning strike caused Caviezel’s hair to burst into flames and resulted in injuries that required multiple surgeries and an untold number of prescription medications to get over.

4. Charlize Theron – Æon Flux (2005)

Charlize Theron starred in Æon Flux as a rebel spy working to free what’s left of humanity from their oppressive overlords in a sci-fi dystopia. The beloved actress, known for performing her own stunts in many of her films, nearly faced paralysis due to one particular scene in this 2005 thriller. While Theron has never explicitly identified the scene where the stunt occurred, she apparently fell and landed on her neck, resulting in long-term nerve damage. During an interview, Theron explained, “I ended up having a (neck) fusion four years ago, and it was the best thing I ever did. Now my body’s functioning perfectly again.”

3. Jackie Chan – Armour Of God II: Operation Condor (1991)

As one of the most prolific stunt performers in Hollywood history, Jackie Chan has sustained his fair share of serious injuries on set. Throughout his decades-long career, the 69-year-old actor has experienced broken bones, concussions, burns, and even a cracked skull. The worst injury that Chan ever suffered on set happened while filming the 1991 Hong Kong movie Armour of God II: Operation Condor.

During the scene, Jackie Chan was slated to leap onto a tree branch at a high height. After performing the stunt more than once to ensure the editors would have enough takes, the branch snapped, causing the actor to plummet to the ground and bash his head on a rock. A piece of Chan’s skull became fractured, and lodged itself in his brain, causing blood to stream from his ear. Despite the harrowing injury, Chan returned to finish the film shortly after receiving life-saving brain surgery.

Read More: 50 Cent Injured Stunt Performer While Filming “Expendables 4”

2. George Clooney – Syriana (2005)

George Clooney famously sustained an injury on the set of the 2005 film Syriana, with the tale of the gone-wrong stunt becoming arguably more well-known than the political thriller itself. During the filming of a torture scene, the Academy Award-winning actor, portraying a character tied to a chair, suffered an injury on set. The chair toppled over, causing Clooney to gonk his gourd, resulting in spinal fluid flowing out of his nostrils.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Clooney explained, “I thought I’d had a stroke. It was like a train horn going off in your head, and you can’t see, and you can’t stand… Then we started doing these things called myelograms, where they shoot contrast into your system, and you can see what’s leaking out. I had a two-and-a-half-inch tear in the middle of my back and a half-inch tear in my neck.”

George Clooney fought for his life in the hospital for over three weeks suffering from excruciating pain after the ordeal, and ultimately considered taking his own life to put an end to the pain. Luckily, the Academy Award-winner was able to tough it out and eventually made a full recovery.

1. Brandon Lee – The Crow (1994)

The tragic story of Brandon Lee’s on-set accident while filming The Crow is one of the most infamous stories in all of Hollywood. While filming a scene where his character is shot by a group of thugs, a real revolver was utilized as a prop, and improperly loaded with dummy rounds. When shot while the cameras were rolling, Brandon Lee fell backward instead of forward, sustaining a fatal wound from a lead-tipped blank fired at close range.

The 28-year-old’s death was ruled an accident due to negligence and has been largely cited as a precedent for more stringent gun prop laws on film sets to this day. When a similar shooting incident occurred during the 2021 production of the still-not-yet-released film Rust, many film fans and film industry insiders cited the mishap as the worst misuse of a firearm on a set since The Crow. In the editing bay, with the use of body doubles and groundbreaking CGI techniques at the time, the filmmakers ultimately completed the film, allowing viewers to witness Lee’s final moments on the big screen.

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Alec Baldwin Possibly Facing “Rust” Set Death Charges Again

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Prosecutors in New Mexico are considering whether to refile charges of involuntary manslaughter against Alec Baldwin. The Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office stated that they are discussing the merits of convening a grand jury to refile the charges against Baldwin, arguing that “it may be appropriate for ordinary citizens to choose if Baldwin should face charges”.

However, Baldwin’s attorneys vehemently spoke out against the notion. “It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution. We will answer any charges in court,” Luka Nikas and Alex Spiro told TMZ. The Santa Fe DA initially dropped the charges against Baldwin earlier this year, though the office did state that new evidence could lead to a renewed investigation against Baldwin. According to the DA’s statement, new analysis of the gun disputes Baldwin’s claim that he never pulled the trigger. This remains a developing story and we’ll have any updates as they emerge.

Read More: Alec Baldwin Reportedly “Scolds” Server At PEN America Gala

Alec Baldwin & Rust: What We Know

Rust finished filming in May 2023, with Baldwin returning to set to finish his scenes. The film, which is working on a budget of $8 million, does not have a release date. The break in production caused several recastings, with Jensen Ackles and Brady Noon both leaving the production due to scheduling conflicts. The film follows Baldwin as a grizzled outlaw who must attempt to save his grandson from a blood-thirsty US Marshal.

However, the shooting incident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was not the only incident on set. A few weeks after Hutchins was killed, a rigger was bitten by a spider and needed numerous surgeries to avoid an arm amputation. Furthermore, multiple reports about lapses in on-site safety were reportedly raised and ignored by supervisors. The on-set armorer has been charged and is awaiting trial in the case. Meanwhile, another charged individual took a plea deal earlier this year. Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, has maintained his innocent throughout the proceedings.

Read More: Alec Baldwin Holds Rifle On “Rust” Set After Criminal Charges Dropped

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Alec Baldwin “Rust” Shooting: The Legal War

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Alec Baldwin is breathing a sigh of relief after prosecutors dropped two charges of involuntary manslaughter against him. The charges stem from a fatal shooting in October 2021 on the set of Rust, his latest movie. The tragic accident occurred when Baldwin discharged a firearm with a live round. The shot killed Halyna Hutchins, a 42-year-old cinematographer on the film. Director Joel Souza was also hit but suffered a non-life-threatening injury. Baldwin supports that he never pulled the trigger. Furthermore, even if he had, no live rounds were supposed to be on set, let alone in any weapon.

According to Baldwin, they were setting up what he calls “marking shots.” This is a “practice run” just before filming a scene. In describing the incident to ABC News, the actor says they were trying to get the angle of his gun just right. According to Baldwin, Hutchins kept telling him to point the barrel more toward her. Hutchins was several feet away from Baldwin, behind the camera. The actor says Hutchins repeatedly told him to aim a little higher, a little lower, and such. Finally, Baldwin says, she told him to point the gun barrel just under her armpit. He says that Hutchins also asked him to slowly cock the hammer back, a little more each time. 

Alec Baldwin Film Turns Deadly

While Rust began filming on October 6, 2021, Alec Baldwin joined the set a week later, on October 11. One day later, Baldwin posted about the film on his Instagram account. The actor looked scruffy and tired, and made fun of his gray beard. However, he was enthusiastic about the project and the crew. According to Baldwin, that same day he posted on Instagram, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, the armorer (the person in charge of all weapons on set), gave him a safety demonstration. He recalls details such as remembering to fake kickback on the gun.

Since blank rounds don’t move your hand, Reed allegedly reminded Baldwin to make the weapon recoil by jerking his hand upwards. He also noted that Reed instructed him on other matters that seemed standard. These included only ever handing or receiving a weapon from her or Dave Halls, the film’s first assistant director. Baldwin maintains that filming was going well, despite the tight budget of about $5 million. As such, he has said, everyone was expected to pull their weight, and armorer Gutierrez-Reed was no exception. In addition to being an armorer, she was also the assistant prop master. This is highly unusual on a high-budget film, though Baldwin says it’s standard on low-budget movies.

A Tragic Accident

However, despite Baldwin’s assertion that the production was lean but tight, crew members did raise issues. Just days before the tragedy, first camera assistant Lane Looper emailed production managers his resignation letter, citing “safety concerns.” Luper wrote, “During the filming of gunfights on this job, things are often played very fast and loose.” He went on to say, “So far there have been two accidental weapons discharges.” Luper also cited concerns about long commutes, stress, housing, and inadequate rest.

Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter learned that Halls, the assistant director who handed Baldwin the prop gun and yelled “cold gun,” was fired from an earlier indie film in 2019 following another prop gun discharge. A producer on Freedom’s Path said that during filming, “a crewmember incurred a minor and temporary injury when a gun was unexpectedly discharged.” After the incident, Halls “was removed from set.”

On October 21, 2021, the day of the accident, Luper and several other crew members walked off the set. Filming went on with a replacement camera crew. The deadly scene began just after lunch, and besides being down to one camera, all seemed well. Baldwin recounts how he drew the gun as scripted, pointed it toward Hutchins, drew back the hammer, and then let it go when they got the shot. Next, “Bang, the gun goes off.” Baldwin says, “She goes down. I thought to myself, did she faint?”

Baldwin & Gutierrez-Reed Plead Not Guilty

Both Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charges. In January 2023, assistant director David Halls signed a plea agreement for negligent use of a deadly weapon. The terms include a suspended sentence and six months of probation. No charges are being filed in connection with Souza’s injury. As of April 2023, newly appointed special prosecutors in the case confirmed charges have been dropped against the actor, though noted their investigation remains “active and ongoing.” Baldwin’s charges of involuntary manslaughter were dropped “without prejudice,” meaning that prosecutors could refile charges against the actor after their investigation.

Two charges of involuntary manslaughter against armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed are still pending. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza says he recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammo from the set. He revealed that there was “a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and what we are suspecting [are] live rounds.” On Jan. 12, 2022, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed sued the gun shop owner she bought the ammo from. She accused him of distributing “boxes of ammunition purporting to contain dummy rounds, but which contained a mix of dummy and live ammunition.”

Additionally, the attorney for Gutierrez-Reed cites Hannah’s dual position on the film as problematic, saying that she was “stretched.” Baldwin’s legal team asserts that she or anyone else raised safety or other issues with him at no time. “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin, and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” said attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro in a statement. Filming of Rust is slated to resume this week, having moved from New Mexico to Montana.

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Charges Against Alec Baldwin Dropped

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The events that occurred on the set of Rust in October 2021 were extremely tragic. During the filming of the upcoming Western, a live round was discharged from a prop revolver. This happened as Alec Baldwin, the film’s lead and executive producer, attempted to demonstrate a holster draw as part of a scene. This resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the incident. The production was shut down and the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office began an in-depth investigation.

In January 2023, Baldwin and the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, were both charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Elsewhere, first assistant director David Halls agreed to plead guilty on a charge of the negligent use of a deadly weapon. In late February, Baldwin pled not guilty to the charges. Both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were scheduled to begin their trial proceedings May 3.

Baldwin Charges Dropped

A lot of information was made public in the aftermath of the incident. Gutierrez-Reed and Halls were both revealed to have had previous complaints relating to their firearm negligence. The incident also occurred during discussions about a production staff strike, specifically for the IATSE union, to which several Rust production staff members belonged. Finally, the FBI contested Baldwin’s claim that he did not pull the trigger on the prop gun. Firearms specialists showed the gun could not have been fired without pulling the trigger, and there was no mechanical failure.

However, Baldwin will no longer go to trial as his charges have been dropped. “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” said attorneys for Alec Baldwin. It is unclear if Gutierrez-Reed will still face trial for her charges. Filming on Rust also resumed this week, moving from New Mexico to the Yellowstone Film Ranch. The change was necessitated after the production was fined $100,000 for multiple safety violations, as deemed by the State of New Mexico. According to reports, the production will not use working weapons or live ammunition going forwards. It is unclear when Rust will premiere.

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Alec Baldwin Sued By Crew Members Who Were There For The Shooting On “Rust” Set

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In the unraveling case of Alec Baldwin’s tragic shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust, three of the crew members who were present during the mishappening have spoken up. Dolly operator Ross Addiego, set costumer Doran Curtin and key grip Reese Price have collectively opened a lawsuit against both Baldwin and the Rust production. Their basis for suing is negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Together, Addiego, Curtin, and Price were three out of the seven members on set during the disaster, and all three relive harrowing accounts of the aftermath.

The plaintiffs express how the simultaneous decision to use active firearms on set and not maintain adequate safety protocols allegedly caused the death of Hutchins. They note how safer options, such as props and special effects, could have been used in place of a real gun. Additionally, the by-product of the incident resulted in emotional distress for the three crew members. Addiego, Curtin, and Price recall how they all had to jump in to help both Hutchins and director Joel Souza after the firearm struck.

Alec Baldwin Pleads Not Guilty

(Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

TMZ reports that the plaintiff’s documents also described that armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed “lacked essential experience.” It notes how Gutierrez-Reed handed the gun to Halls without having checked it, who then passed it along saying it was “cold.” Despite the negligence in handling the weapon, Baldwin still went on with using it. The plaintiff claims that the result of these circumstances was Hutchin’s death and the resulting anguish.

While Baldwin still awaits his preliminary hearing for Hutchin’s death, he has pleaded not guilty and waived his Friday (February 24) court appearance. The allegations of Santa Fe’s D.A. department claim that he has acted with “criminal negligence.” However, Baldwin remains his stance that other members of the production team were responsible for ensuring the safe usage of the firearm. Today, he remains free from jail. Within 60 days of pleading not guilty, both he and Gutierrez-Reed will face their respective hearings. Rust, on the other hand, is planning on reshooting in the upcoming months. For more news on pop culture and hip-hop, be sure to check out HNHH.

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