6 Times Actors Have Been Injured On Set

“Break a leg…”

It’s a phrase that people say to wish actors good luck, and obviously never ever expect the actor in question to really break a leg, or anything else for that matter. However, injuries on movie sets are relatively common. Some of the biggest stars in the business need medical attention whilst at work!

But, as they say, the show must go on…

Here are six times that actors have been injured on set – it makes you wonder whether the big pay cheque is sometimes worth it?

Kate Winslet – Titanic (1997)

During filming for the multi-award-winning blockbuster epic, Kate had the terrifying experience of nearly drowning on set when she got caught up in one of her costumes. The heavy coat that she was wearing got caught on a gate and she had to swim and shimmy at the same time to break free.

Kate told the Los Angeles Times: “I had to sort of shimmy out of the coat to get free. I had no breath left. I thought I’d burst. And James Cameron just said. ‘Okay, let’s go again’. That was his attitude. I didn’t want to be a wimp, so I didn’t complain.”

A little too close of a call for comfort, but a very realistic way of getting into character for a film that is based around the tragic sinking of a ship.

Elizabeth Taylor – National Velvet (1944)

“I enter hospitals as often as others enter taxi cabs” – a quote from Elizabeth regarding her 100 plus hospital admissions over the years, some of which have been caused by injuries she has sustained on set. 

One of the most serious injuries was when she fell off horse on the set of National Velvet in 1944, an accident that rendered her with damage to her back at just 12 years old, which aggravated her scoliosis that she battled and dealt with her whole life.

A film about a horse running in the Grand National in the Grand National, falling off was always going to be a risk and Taylor went on to complete the move and win the hearts of millions of fans all over the world.

Taylor went on to suffer greatly with her health as the years went by, with around 100 hospital admissions estimated over her seven decades.

Johnny Depp – Lone Ranger (2013)

No stranger to doing his own stunts, Johnny Depp has sustained a good few injuries on set over the last few years, and he’s no stranger to suffering for his art so to speak.

When filming the Lone Ranger in 2013, Depp was dragged through the desert when he fell off his horse. Escaping with a bad bruise on his stomach, that was a reminder of the horse he was riding as it was in the shape of a hoof print, things could have been a lot worse.

Depp said: “I would say that the positive thing is my coccyx didn’t take it.”

The horse Depp was riding kept galloping at full speed, with the actor holding on to its mane before deciding to let go and hope that the horse wouldn’t trample him. Luckily for him, and us, he came off relatively OK and lived to tell the tale.

Sylvester Stallone – Rocky IV (1985)

It’s absolutely no secret that Sylvester Stallone was so dedicated to his part as Rocky Balboa that he turned into an absolute machine and completely morphed into a champion boxer.

However, this dedication and true desire to deliver a movie that was so true to form is one that landed him in intensive care for 8 days, after sparring for real with Dorph Lundgren in a bid to make the movie a genuine portrayal of a boxing fight.

Stallone was rushed to St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica from Canada after sustaining such strong body blows that his heart slammed against his chest and began to swell. His heartbeat became laboured and had intervention not taken place, our beloved Slv could have ended up with his heart stopping altogether. 

After 8 days in intensive care the actor was on the mend, although probably held off from the real-life boxing for a while after…

Tom Hanks – Castaway

Whilst filming the gripping and emotional movie Castaway, Hanks managed to pick up a dangerous staph infection in Fiji, which almost cost him his life. Method acting was the thing for Tom whilst fulfilling his role of Chuck Noland, and he was so dedicated to delivering a believable part that he decided to live like his character.

After sustaining a wound that then went on to become infected, Hanks didn’t treat it straight away and two weeks after the wound occurred, his leg started to swell and wouldn’t go down.

The reaction triggered Hanks to head to a doctor where he was told he had contracted staph and was a few hours away from blood poisoning, and possibly death.

Margaret Hamilton – The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The lady who played the Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton, managed to suffer some pretty painful burns during shooting.

In the scene where she exits Munchkin Land in a plume of smoke and fireworks. Margaret burned her face and hand and had to take some time away from set in order to recuperate.

When she returned to work she joked that she wouldn’t sue because she wouldn’t work again, but that she wouldn’t do any scenes that had fireworks in them. A stunt double stepped in and also ended up in hospital for two weeks after sustaining an injury when the surrender Dorothy scene was filmed.

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