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Daniel Craig accident just the latest for actors on film sets

Actor Daniel Craig, center right, during the shooting of "Spectre" in Rome in February.
(Angelo Carconi / Associated Press)
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Daniel Craig’s knee injury while filming scenes for the new James Bond movie is just the latest in a series of mishaps sustained by high profile actors on film sets.

Craig had arthroscopic surgery over the Easter weekend to repair a knee injury he sustained while filming “Spectre,” the 24th bond film, set for release in November, according to a report in from BBC News. He is expected to rejoin the production later this month at Pinewood Studios in England.

Craig’s injury was relatively minor compared to other accidents that have dominated the news.

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The film and TV industry has been rocked by a spike in fatal and catastrophic accidents on film sets in the last five years, including a helicopter crash last month that claimed 10 lives in Argentina during filming of a reality TV show and the train accident the killed 27-year-old camera assistant Sarah Jones during filming of “Midnight Rider” in Georgia last year.

Most accidents involve stunt performers, camera operators, set builders and other crew members, but injuries are surprisingly prevalent among high profile actors as well.

Brandon Lee, son of martial artist Bruce Lee was accidentally shot and killed on the set of “The Crow” by a gun intended to fire blanks in 1996. George Clooney broke his spine when a stunt went awry during filming of the 2005 movie “Syriana.”

Johnny Depp was nearly trampled by a horse during filming of Disney’s 2013 movie “The Lone Ranger.” A diver working on the film died while preparing an underwater film scene at a ranch in Acton.

And last year, Harrison Ford broke his leg on the British set of “Star Wars: Episode VII,” causing a delay in filming.

Gabrielle Carteris, who starred in “Beverly Hills 90210” and is national executive vice president of SAG-AFTRA, suffered a serious neurological injury while filming a fight scene for a TV movie in Canada five years ago. She said the accident happened when another actor, playing an intruder, lifted her too vigorously while dragging her down a staircase.

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The injury left her with a movement disorder and speech problems that required years of physical therapy. She recently settled a lawsuit against the producers.

“There are some great producers out there who want to make sure performers are protected, and others who look at performers as piece of property who are expendable,” she said. “All it takes is one moment for a life to change.”

Twitter: @rverrier

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