‘Harry Potter’ Stunt Double Injured In UK

COMMENTS (16)

• horrendous.hope the young dude is ok.

  Comment by sacha — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 1:33am PST  Reply to this post

• My sources tell me his name is David Holmes. He’s expected to undergo emergency surgery for what’s being described as a very serious spinal injury in the next few hours.
  I’m told he is awake and talking, but 24 hours after the accident he still has zero sensation below the waist.

  Comment by R@v — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 2:42am PST  Reply to this post

• There are going to be 8 films, with the seventh book split into separate movies. Presumably they’re shooting the first part right now.

  Comment by chris — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 6:28am PST  Reply to this post

• Best wishes to the stunt double. It’s a tough and sometimes dangerous job.

  Comment by Anonymous — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 7:56am PST  Reply to this post

• Best wishes for his speedy recovery. Good thoughts sent his way.

  Comment by Sterling Wolfe — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 9:29am PST  Reply to this post

• Wow, that seriously sucks. I hope he gets well soon. I didn’t even realize the last HP was being filmed!

  Comment by Erin — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 9:56am PST  Reply to this post

• I read about this last night. My prayers are with him and his family. Hope he will be better soon. Dan has done alot of his stunts but maybe this one seemed to need his stunt double. If he’s who I think he is he’s a nice guy.

  Comment by Terri — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 1:37pm PST  Reply to this post

• Stunt people put their lives on the line for our entertainment yet the Avademy still do not have an Oscar for this work. How dangerous is it to work at a computer doing CGI or mixing sound? Stuntmen make our movies exciting when we know hat is happening is for real and not a computer (no disrespect to the GI community). Evan SAG will not televise the stunt ensemble awards but will gladly laud actors whom are made look heroic by these unsung heroes.

  Wish the young man involved a speedy and full recovery.

  Comment by David — Thursday January 29, 2009 @ 1:50pm PST  Reply to this post

• please respect what has happened, the dave is good friend to me, he is out of surgery but yet awake and we will only know if he has feeling once he wakes up

  Comment by Anonymous — Friday January 30, 2009 @ 2:37am PST  Reply to this post

• that’s too bad about him being hurt like this. a lot of people don’t realize how dangerous this work really is!

  Comment by riley — Friday January 30, 2009 @ 2:18pm PST  Reply to this post

• first of all I want to say I am hoping that DR’s stunt double will have a speedy recovery. but I would also like to add: does anyone know how much DR makes to be in these movies? I mean common he should at least have enough courage to do his own stunts! also i seen a pic of him and im pretty sure all the ladies would like him more if he got rid of the patchy, hairy mass that is taking over half his neck and face. (yes, im talking about his atempted beard.)so I guess what im trying to say is, DR needs to grow a pair, do his own stunts, and get the endangered species off his face. and maybe just maybe i would watch one of his movies. but i seriously doubt it…

  and i know i know you people are going to read this and go OMGosh!!! don’t diss him!!! he’s my favorite actor!!! but every “actor” needs a little constructive critisizem everyonce in a while. and i’ve just decided that im the one to give it to him.

  OH and….
  congrat’s DR ’cause you just got served.

  -?Katianne?

  Comment by Katianne Owens — Friday January 30, 2009 @ 5:07pm PST  Reply to this post

• To Katianne-

  WTF?

  Comment by unionguy — Friday January 30, 2009 @ 7:42pm PST  Reply to this post

• RE – Katianne

  I think Katianne’s comment is inappropriate, and somewhat ignorant.

  How much an actor gets paid doesn’t necessarily reflect their willingness to perform stunts. Many actors are doubled for things they are willing and potentially could perform. This might be because the film’s insurers won’t allow it, or because the stunt in question is a 2nd Unit shot (filmed while the actor is busy shooting other scenes).

  I don’t believe Radcliff has ever claimed to do all his own stunts. I also imagine his wages reflect his ability to act, and the use of his image (all over the globe) – factors essential to the franchise’s continued success. “Harry Potter” stuntmen are paid well, and those seen on camera (no matter how anonymously) receive a share of the film’s profits. They reep financial benefits, and pay no cost in loss of privacy.

  Please also consider how young Radcliff was when he started “Harry Potter”. Would Katianne like a child actor to perform stunts? Up until last week, I’m sure Mr Holmes would certainly say no. As a very skilled stuntman and gymnast, he could perform safely things which Radcliffe could not.

  According to the reports. Mr Holmes was hurt testing a stunt. This highlights one job of stuntmen often overlooked. It may have been Holmes was testing out a stunt which Radcliff was due to perform himself. Wire stunts are often very safe. Perhaps the accident was a freak, unexpected event due to equipment failure…I would imagine it was, as tests usually have more crashmats etc than real takes allow. Tests are just that: “Lets see what happens, how best to shoot it, and work out what risks there are.” The stuntman is rarely a paid “test dummy”.

  Our thoughts should be with the professional stuntman, and our hopes should be directed towards his recovery. We should not direct any attacks/criticisms towards an actor (whose primary job is to act).

  Comment by Stunt Person — Saturday January 31, 2009 @ 4:39am PST  Reply to this post

• Katianne: Actors performing their own stunt is stupid and egotistical, not courageous. If the actor hurts himself, the whole production is down for days, it’s risk not worth taking for the whole production (and other people’s time and money)

  Comment by fred — Saturday January 31, 2009 @ 11:05am PST  Reply to this post

• Fred:
  i understand wat u said about the “if the actor gets hurt doing a stunt the production is down for days”
  well if the stunt man gets hurt the production is down for days too.

  plus jump off wat i said… its just a comment ppl. noone needs to freak out just bc i said a few things that some ppl just don’t happen to agree with

  Stunt Person:

  a lot and i mean a lot of actors do their own stunts my comment was not a discrimination against stunt men i know thats how some ppl make their living being stunt men and thats also how ppl get hurt/die. and again yes i know they are not paid “test dummy”

  PS. u didn’t have to analyze every part of being a stunt man is i already know. and if i didnt i would of looked it up before i posted that comment

  Comment by Katianne — Saturday March 7, 2009 @ 5:33pm PST  Reply to this post

• TO Katianne
  SPEAK THE TRUTH

  Comment by Bailee — Tuesday March 24, 2009 @ 3:15pm PDT  Reply to this post