Filming a movie takes many moving parts, from the sets to the actors, especially the action scenes. Oftentimes, injury or filming stories will happen during production and stick with the actors for years after production ends. Whether it’s knocked-out teeth, malfunctioning technology, or near-death experiences, these seven filming stories behind well-known movies are sure to surprise you. Keep reading to learn more.
7. Daniel Craig loses two teeth in James Bond fight scene
Our seventh selection for shocking filming stories centers on Daniel Craig, the newest addition to the James Bond acting family. Craig quickly learned that it wasn’t easy playing the famed character, knocking out two teeth during the filming of Casino Royale.
Heading into production, the opening fight scene was the first piece filmed for the movie, which meant the crew wasn’t fully prepared. This could explain why he was accidentally hit too hard by one of the other actors, resulting in the producers flying in his dentist and requiring Craig to wear a protective gumshield for the rest of the filming. He was able to adapt and even became one of the favorites to play the legendary 007.
6. Quentin Tarantino gets hit in the head behind the camera
Next up for filming stories has to do with trouble behind the camera. Usually, actors that are in the scene get hurt, but for a difficult scene in Kill Bill Vol. 1, this wasn’t the case. During a scene where actress Chiaki Kuriyama was working with a ball and chain, she accidentally struck the producer, Quentin Tarantino, on the head as he stood next to the camera.
The team was able to maintain good humor about the mistake, even finishing a take by turning to the camera, waving, and saying, “Hello, Sally!” as a gesture to the film’s editor. This theme has continued in several Tarantino productions, with many sweet pranks hidden in the film for Sally.
5. Kate Winslet gets hypothermia on Titanic set
Fifth on our list of filming stories has to do with the blockbuster hit Titanic. Kate Winslet endured several obstacles during filming, including bruises and a chipped bone in her elbow. This was due to slippery decks, but the biggest scare for Winslet was getting hypothermia.
Wearing a water suit was not an option for her character, who wore dresses, and heating up that much water for prolonged periods was nearly impossible. Winslet wrote in her diary that it was like swimming in “The coldest winter in the history of Scottish winters.” This almost prompted Winslet to quit the production, but she powered through and we are so glad she did.
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4. Peter Mayhew needed a security detail as Chewbacca
Ranking fourth on our filming stories list is the story behind one of our favorite Star Wars characters, Chewbacca. Played by Peter Mayhew, he was told not to wander around on set in costume while filming Return of the Jedi. This was because George Lucas relied on location filming for the original trilogy, seeking out deserts and forests to serve as otherworldly settings.
As such, Endor was filmed in the California redwoods to film a battle with the Empire. Since Mayhew was always in costume, he had a security detail to escort him to protect him from hunters who might mistake Chewbacca for Bigfoot or another animal. It didn’t help that Mayhew was seven feet tall, but he managed to get through filming without any reported incidents.
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3. Jurassic Park animatronics coming to life
It’s scary enough watching dinosaurs on screen, but what if they started moving right next to you? Jurassic Park earns the third spot on our list, with malfunctioning animatronics on set. The animatronic robotic T-Rex was covered in a “skin” that tended to soak up water, leading to malfunctions. This happened frequently, as the famed dinosaur was present in a lot of scenes with rain, which led to some hilarious moments on set.
The producer, Kathleen Kennedy, said it was like “The T-Rex went into the heebie-jeebie sometimes…We’d be, like, eating lunch, and all of a sudden a T-Rex would come alive. At first, we didn’t know what was happening, and then we realized it was the rain. You’d hear people start screaming.” Talk about coming back from the dead.
2. Sandcrawler believed to be a military vehicle
Jumping into the top two filming stories is a return to the Star Wars universe, this time with an unwarranted Sandcrawler. While George Lucas was filming on location in Tunisia, the Libyan government became worried about a massive “military vehicle” parked near the border. The vehicle in question? A Sandcrawler, or digger crawler, is a mobile fortress used in A New Hope and other scenes from the original trilogy.
The Tunisian government was still not sold on the idea, or any other details concerning the film, and politely asked George Lucas to move the vehicle away from the border.
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1. Isla Fisher almost drowned in Now You See Me scene
Last on our list, but probably the most frightening selection for our filming stories, is Isla Fisher nearly drowning in Now You See Me. Each of the four Horsemen gets introduced by conducting their own magic acts in varying locations. For Isla Fisher’s character, Henley, she scares her audience by making them believe she is stuck in a tank about to be swarmed by piranhas.
The story took a darker turn when Fisher said she nearly drowned filming the scene. The mechanism to release Fisher from the tank malfunctioned during filming, and she was stuck underwater for a few minutes. She tried to get the crew’s attention, but they all believed it was her acting, not real panic. While she was shaken, Fisher was thankfully not harmed during the incident.
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