Jan. 2, 2024

The Hidden Hazards of Filming in Hollywood

Hidden beneath the glitz and glamour of the illustrious side of Hollywood, lies an ugly shadow that casts over the entertainment industry. The often-overlooked risks when it comes to filming and the injuries sustained by actors as they suffer as they breathe life into narratives. By: Wee Yan Ling

Hollywood is not all illustrious and picture perfect, an actors’ job is not only emotionally draining, but also tough as they have to thread on the fine line of life and death.

The potential dangers are diverse ranging from high-speed stunts gone awry to prop gun malfunctions that cause fatal dangers that comes with the captivating cinema. In The Walking Dead, stuntman John Bernecker had paid the price with his life as he fell to his demise on set during the filming. Concerns regarding safety on set continue to persist in spite of the wrongful-death lawsuit and initial damages awarded.

The supposedly cursed film, The Exorcist had also left an indelible mark, not only on the silver screen but on Linda Blair’s broken spine. The poor child actress had sustained a lower spine fracture during the shoot. As CGI was not available back in the early 1970s, the scene of Blair being thrashed around on screen was achieved with the help of a mechanical bed which was rigged to her body. The repercussions had haunted her for years as the pain later developed into scoliosis with the pain persisting till this day.

Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh has not been spared from the perils of her profession as she had sustained numerous injuries throughout her illustrious career. One notable one was when she had fractured her vertebrae and ribs during the filming of The Stuntwoman. Her career and life flashed through her eyes as she thought her career was over. However, her undying passion in her line of work kept her going despite having second thoughts about changing her pathway. Yeoh shared, "And I thought to myself, I do love this work. I’m not going to give it up. I’ll just find ways to make it safer for myself.”

In more recent times, the controversial series of Squid Game: The Challenge had faced a ton of backlash and the lawsuit it received is not making it any better. Two contestants have voiced their discontentment and had threatened legal actions towards the production company after allegedly sustaining injuries, including hypothermia on set. The physical demands of the games, especially in “Red Light, Green Light” had raised concerns as contestants were forced to their limits in extreme temperatures for hours on end. However, Netflix had denied the severity of the injuries when confronted.

As Hollywood continues to relish in its cinematic brilliance, the shadows casted by on-set hazards and health concerns have reminded us once again the severe price one has to pay being in the entertainment industry. The TV and entertainment industry continues to face scrutiny as they fail to meet the demands of creating compelling content while implementing safety precautions for all their actors on set.

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