Behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood lies a darker reality. Join us as we examine the most devastating accidents that occurred during film production. From on-set explosions to stunt mishaps, these tragic incidents forever changed the entertainment industry and the lives of those involved. Which of these heartbreaking stories impacted you the most?
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00:00The set caught on fire one weekend, when no one was there.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at some of the most harrowing film production incidents that ended in tragedy.
00:11People have tried to say it was haunted. I don't know about that.
00:15But there definitely was some bad vibes on this set.
00:19Titanic. Titanic was a critical and commercial phenomenon, but filming was hardly smooth sailing.
00:25Certainly there are things that can go wrong. If they do go wrong, it's not going to matter anyway,
00:32and it's going to happen so quickly that you're not going to even know it happened, probably.
00:37Production faced a storm of issues, from director James Cameron's scary intensity, multiple injuries, and even a suspected poisoning.
00:46Kate Winslet, who once called the experience an ordeal, reportedly sustained bruises, a chipped elbow, and hypothermia.
00:53During the sinking scene, the actress nearly drowned from a rushing wall of water.
00:59One chaotic set incident reportedly left a stuntman with a broken ankle, and another with fractured ribs.
01:05At one point, a suspected crew member allegedly laced food with PCP, hospitalizing more than 50 people.
01:13That's when 80 crew members, McAvoy included, unknowingly ate drug-tainted lobster chowder on set.
01:19You know, it was kind of like very dreamy, very surreal. I was still functioning. I wasn't, you know, nauseous or anything like that.
01:26But it seemed like it affected people in many, many different ways.
01:29Despite the criticism, Cameron had expressed no regrets, simply stating,
01:34I'm demanding, and I'm demanding on my crew.
01:37All right, so how much time the whole room stops while you think?
01:42Okay.
01:42Okay?
01:43You don't know.
01:44Maze Runner – The Death Cure
01:46Young adult movie installments typically release a year or two apart.
01:50However, the final chapter in the Maze Runner trilogy arrived three years after its predecessor,
01:56a delay that was never planned.
01:58Action!
02:00The car's going crazy.
02:02And then bullet flips!
02:03The extended gap was due to a major injury to lead star Dylan O'Brien.
02:10Just days into filming, O'Brien was hospitalized after a botched stunt caused him to be struck by a vehicle.
02:16On the accident, he also added that many people who witnessed it may have thought that was it.
02:21The injuries he sustained were life-threatening, requiring facial reconstructive surgery and treatment for brain trauma.
02:28O'Brien's near-fatal accident delayed production by a year, forcing the film to miss its planned release date.
02:35The actor considers himself lucky to have survived, though the emotional trauma made him briefly consider leaving his career behind.
02:43It wasn't easy, you know.
02:46It's, you know, it was, it was horrible, it was a very scary thing.
02:51But it's, we came back, you know, all got together again a year later.
02:56It was like we never left.
02:57Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
03:00Bringing cinematic action to life, stunt performers truly are the unsung heroes of filmmaking.
03:07Unfortunately, even the slightest error can have catastrophic consequences, something David Holmes experienced firsthand.
03:14You are such a force when it comes to staying present, making the most of every single moment.
03:20Yeah, I think my situation reminds me that, you know, to live in the now, you can't not.
03:24While doubling for Daniel Radcliffe, Holmes was harnessed to a cable designed to pull him backward.
03:30However, the miscalibrated cable yanked him with extreme force, slamming Holmes into a wall.
03:36Though he was rushed to the hospital, the extent of his injuries was irreversible.
03:41Damage to his spine resulted in lifelong paralysis.
03:44I can't listen back to him.
03:46That's as emotionally triggering as trying to watch my accent of me breaking my neck.
03:51It's pretty dark, you know.
03:53Holmes has remained active in the industry despite the tragic end to his career, with his inspiring journey chronicled in the documentary, David Holmes, The Boy Who Lived.
04:04Such highs and such lows, but was able to find light in the darkest of places.
04:12A beautiful day in the neighborhood.
04:14Sometimes accidents happen, and despite the heartbreak, it's important to remember that no one is at fault.
04:20Emmy Award winning sound mixer James Emswiller lost his life after a series of unfortunate circumstances on set.
04:28This is the apartment building where this tragic accident happened on Shady Drive, east here in Mount Lebanon.
04:35And Tom Hanks was actually on set when this accident happened.
04:40During a break, Emswiller collapsed from a heart attack while leaning on a balcony, falling two stories to the ground.
04:47After he suffered an apparent medical emergency and fell two stories off a balcony.
04:51The incident, witnessed by crew members and passers-by, caused significant confusion for days until further details emerged.
04:59Ultimately, Emswiller was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
05:03But that doesn't diminish the impact his loss has left behind.
05:07Jim was my best friend.
05:10My best friend, my husband, my lover, my partner.
05:13In life, a loss for me, I can't put that into work.
05:18The Bodyguard
05:19Defying poor critical reception, The Bodyguard was a runway hit, grossing over $400 million and cementing Whitney Houston as a pop culture sensation.
05:35Sadly, behind all its success lies a devastating tragedy.
05:40Midway through production, a fatal mishap claimed the life of grip truck driver William Vitaliano,
05:46while transporting lighting equipment for an underground parking scene.
05:50A malfunction caused two cranes to collide with Vitaliano.
05:54Despite receiving urgent medical attention, his injuries were too severe to overcome.
05:59Warner Bros. settled the ensuing lawsuit with the equipment manufacturers out of court.
06:05But the knowledge of Vitaliano's untimely demise casts a permanent shadow over what was otherwise a blockbuster film.
06:12Yeah, well, let's get this over with, okay? Give me a kiss.
06:23Goodbye, Rachel.
06:24The Exorcist
06:25Not only is this classic scary to watch, it was a nightmare to make.
06:30The Exorcist was plagued by eerie incidents and unexplained events.
06:35Shortly after filming began, a bird flew into a circuit box, sparking a fire that destroyed much of the set.
06:41Except the room reserved for Reagan's exorcism.
06:44I remember, I was terrible. Shut down. I think it shut us down for about six weeks.
06:49They couldn't find an electrical problem.
06:52They couldn't find an arsonist.
06:53They couldn't find any substantial reason that that occurred.
06:59Later, two crew members were involved in serious accidents.
07:03One losing a thumb and another a toe.
07:05The punishing shoot took a toll on its stars.
07:08Just through attrition, I think there was three or four people died.
07:12There were a couple of unfortunate deaths during the filming.
07:15There were nine deaths, which is an enormous amount of deaths.
07:22Linda Blair developed scoliosis from a spinal fracture, while Ellen Burstyn sustained a back injury she still refers to as her permanent companion.
07:31But I'm telling you, I could get hurt.
07:33And the stuntman was standing there listening to this, and Billy said to him,
07:38OK, don't pull her so hard.
07:41But as I turned away, I felt them exchange a look.
07:46And he said, give it to her this time.
07:51Director William Friedkin has acknowledged how dangerous the set had become,
07:56expressing regret at threatening the sanity of then-12-year-old Blair.
08:00That's the footage I use in the movie where I'm crying my eyes out because they are brutally damaging my back.
08:06Top Gun.
08:07With awe-inspiring aerial stunts, this high-flying action drama never fails to wow its audience.
08:13But that commitment to realism came with a cost.
08:16The life of aerobatic pilot Art Scholl.
08:19This is Art Scholl.
08:21Teacher, designer, sometime actor and professional stunt pilot.
08:24Driven by one consuming ambition.
08:28To be the world's aerobatic champion.
08:31This is his story.
08:34While conducting in-flight camera shots, Scholl descended for a flat spin maneuver,
08:39a move he'd executed many times before.
08:42However, something went wrong this time.
08:44A mystery that remains unsolved decades later.
08:47Altitude, 8,000.
08:497,000.
08:52Six.
08:52We're at six, man.
08:54As the plane spun past recovery altitude, Scholl radioed his last words, claiming,
08:59I have a real problem.
09:01Moments later, the aircraft crashed into the ocean.
09:04Despite search efforts, Scholl's body has never been recovered.
09:08Let him pull away.
09:09Tottle back a little, Skip.
09:10Okay.
09:12Flying airshows and exhibitions isn't enough for me.
09:15I feel I must show that I'm capable of competing with the best pilots flying aerobatics.
09:20The Crow.
09:21He died a year ago.
09:22The moment he touched her.
09:25They're all dead.
09:27They just don't know it yet.
09:29Among the most infamous tragedies in film history,
09:32Brandon Lee's life was cut short at just 28 years old.
09:36A gun loaded with blanks had a live bullet lodged in the barrel from a previous scene.
09:42When fired, the force of the blank launched the bullet at Lee, striking him in the abdomen.
09:48The crew, unaware of Lee's critical condition, failed to realize that he was gravely wounded.
09:53Despite undergoing a six-hour emergency surgery, Lee ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
09:58The gun he was using was supposed to be loaded with blanks.
10:01When the cameras rolled, Brandon Lee was performing for the last time.
10:05He was in, you know, critical condition.
10:09Somehow at that point, I don't know, I mean, I've got chills down, right down my spine.
10:13And I felt that he's not going to make it.
10:16His mother filed a lawsuit against the film's producers, which was settled out of court.
10:21While The Crow remains widely celebrated as his most iconic role,
10:26Lee's passing forced the industry to address on-set safety regulations.
10:30We expect that a young life will not be wasted in vain.
10:36And I give the responsibility to the entertainment industry to assure us that it will not happen again.
10:43Linda, sending a call to action as detectives, discovered the deadly dominoes behind Brandon's death.
10:49Rust.
10:50This incident sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry,
10:54sparking major conversations over unsafe working conditions.
10:58A series of missteps by the film's production team cost cinematographer Helena Hutchins her life.
11:05Helena was going to shoot a film called Rust.
11:07She went out and never came back.
11:10Alec Baldwin was handed a gun by first assistant director David Halls, unaware it contained a live round.
11:17When discharged, a shot struck Hutchins and director Joel Sousa.
11:22The latter survived with an arm injury, but Hutchins' wounds proved fatal.
11:26Alec Baldwin, you were in the room when the lady went to the gun, yeah.
11:30The ensuing lawsuit held Halls and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed responsible.
11:35A New Mexico jury found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of the death of Helena Hutchins.
11:40Charges against Baldwin were eventually dropped.
11:42Hutchins' passing sparked widespread condemnation, reigniting calls for gun safety reforms in the industry.
11:49In the end, you know, justice won't bring Helena back, but maybe the memory of her can help keep people safe
12:00and prevent something like this from ever happening again.
12:04In another grim turn, crew member Jason Miller was hospitalized after a venomous spider bite,
12:10requiring multiple surgeries to save his arm.
12:13Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
12:17The Hangover Part 2
12:19A high-speed collision left stuntman Scott McLean in a medically-induced coma.
12:24I wouldn't have asked a guy to do what had happened to me.
12:29How soon do you want to get back to work?
12:32As soon as I can.
12:33Resident Evil, the final chapter.
12:36Stuntwoman Olivia Jackson lost her arm and endured traumatic injuries after colliding with a camera crane.
12:42Now she and her attorneys are calling for change in Hollywood, hoping her loss will prevent others from experiencing tragedy.
12:49I'd love to make everybody aware of these situations like this,
12:53so that they can take better care of themselves again, so that it doesn't happen again.
12:57Triple X.
12:58Stunt double Harry O'Connor passed away after a botched parasailing incident.
13:03Harry O'Connor, our aerial stunt coordinator and stuntman doing this stunt here.
13:09Blade Runner 2049
13:11A set collapse claimed the life of a construction worker.
13:15The worker was underneath the platform upon which the set was constructed when it suddenly collapsed,
13:21the studio said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
13:24The Dark Knight
13:25Stuntman Conway Wycliffe passed away during a stunt involving Batman's Tumblr mobile.
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13:52Twilight Zone, the movie.
13:54In one of the most high-profile disasters in Hollywood history, actor Vic Morrow and two illegally hired young performers lost their lives.
14:02In California, they were filming a war movie today when suddenly a helicopter carrying a camera crew crashed right in the middle of the action.
14:10Director John Landis ignored multiple labor laws, allowing underage actors to work at night in unsafe conditions.
14:17A scene involving a low-flying helicopter had catastrophic consequences when the miscalculated explosion sent it plummeting onto three performers.
14:27Dorsey Wingo, who was the pilot, at first said that he didn't think he wanted to view them,
14:31but then decided that only by watching the films could he learn exactly what caused the helicopter to crash.
14:36The horrific incident triggered a decade-long legal battle, culminating in a controversial acquittal for Landis and others involved.
14:43The tragedy led to sweeping reforms, including stricter union rules on set safety protocols and heavy penalties for breaking child labor laws.
14:53Sadly, no law on reform can ever undo the terrible loss of life that occurred that night.
14:59As far as I know, isn't this a trial unprecedented in this sort of thing, and people being held accountable for the deaths of performers?
15:06I think it's the first time that I know.
15:07That a director is this, especially.
15:09Is there an accident that resonated with you?
15:20Let us know in the comments.