Saying there’s a risk that comes with being a stunt person is like saying that playing with a lit M-80 is a dangerous thing to do, so long as one knows what they’re doing and knows how to be safe about it the risk is usually minimal, but things do happen. Stunt performers take the heaviest hits in the movies and TV shows that they sign on for, and in some instances, they’re valued by the actors they double for, which is great since without the stunt doubles the scenes that people love so much wouldn’t happen since for the rough stuff the stunt people have to step in. But the job isn’t a perfect one, since, for all the safety and preparation that goes into the job, it’s still very possible for things to go wrong since all it takes is one slight miscalculation or one split-second in which things don’t go the way they’re supposed to, and the horror story stars since a life can be snuffed out or ruined in that split-second without fail. Some stunt people have been injured beyond repair on the job, while too many have lost their lives in the name of entertainment. That’s the risk they take on when they start training for the job, but it sounds like a price that’s a little too steep.
Here are just a few horrific things that have happened to various stunt people throughout the years.
5. An explosion on the set of The Expendables 2 took the life of one stuntman and injured another.
Nuo Sun, one of the stuntmen that were injured when an explosion went off too close to where he and another stuntman, Kun Liu, were placed for the scene. Liu’s family were paid a rather paltry amount for the incident, which prompted Jet Li, one of the stars of the movie, to dig a little deeper into his pockets in an attempt to compensate them in a more fitting manner. A stuntman’s life is worth more than some people are willing to give, but the truth is that they know the risks when they take the job.
4. A stuntman crashed headfirst into a bridge during a parasailing stunt in xXx.
The sad part about this stunt is that Vin Diese’s stuntman, Harry O’Connor, actually got it right the first time, but it would appear that the director wanted another shot to get things the way that he wanted it. Blaming the director for a miscalculation is unnecessary, as is trying to put this on Harry, but the sad fact is that he did clip the Palacky Bridge in Prague on the second go-around and was dead almost instantly, which is horrible enough. Parts that he participated in are still in the movie thankfully, which is fitting since he gave so much for the competition of the project.
3. During the filming of Top Gun a stunt pilot crashed into the sea, and it’s never been fully explained.
One would think that a pilot that’s been behind the stick for a while and knows the feel of their plane would understand what was happening and that certain risks weren’t always worth the shot. But in this case, the stunt pilot, Art Scholl, who was one of the best in the world, was out to get a trick that looked just right, but after performing a maneuver that he should have been able to stick his craft refused to respond and he eventually smashed into the sea. What happened is still up for grabs since no one really knows.
2. On the set of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, a stuntwoman was permanently disabled.
There was no doubt that Michael Bay loved his explosions and big effects, but when a steel cable holding a car that held a stuntwoman snapped free and smashed through the windshield the woman was left permanently disabled. While she received a massive cash settlement it’s small comfort since she’s going to need 24/7 care for the rest of her life thanks to the irreversible brain damage that was incurred. Unfortunately, what’s really tragic is that the stunt failed the first time it was tried, which means it was possible that this could have been prevented.
1. Safety failures led to the tragic demise of a stuntwoman in Deadpool 2.
Joi Harris was a stunt double on the set of Deadpool 2 and was flung off of a bike through a window, an incident which ended up taking her life and becoming a point of contention between those in charge of the safety protocols and a government agency that was assigned this case. While it wasn’t clearly established just what went wrong, the loss of Joi on the set was felt by everyone as it was a devastating turn of events. She was given a dedication at the end of the movie to remember her, which was nice, but still feels like small compensation for what she gave.
It’s a dangerous job, but people need their entertainment, and someone’s got to do the heavy lifting.Joi Harris
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