Doing stunt work for TV and movies is not an easy job, and it can often be a dangerous one. Sometimes stunt performers are injured or even killed performing their stunts work. Recently, stuntwoman Olivia Jackson was severely injured on the set of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter during a motorcycle stunt featuring actress Milla Jovovich’s character Alice. According to Movieweb, Jackson was initially supposed to film a simple fight scene, but she was then told to perform a complicated stunt requiring her to ride a motorcycle.
Not only were the weather conditions terrible during the stunt, but something else went horribly wrong. Movieweb explained that the stunt required Jackson to ride her motorcycle towards a crane with a camera mounted on it. The crane was supposed to lift out of Jackson’s way when she approached but, for some reason, the crane’s operator did not move it in time, leading to Jackson colliding with the camera.
Now Jackson is suing director Paul W.S. Anderson, producers Tannhauser Gate and Jeremy Bolt, and Bolt Pictures. Jackson claims that she was told that her medical expenses were supposed to be fully covered. This was clearly not the case.
Though she survived the crash, Jackson’s injuries were quite serious and her left arm was even amputated, ultimately ensuring Jackson will never be able to work as a stunt performer again. Apparently the former stuntwoman expected to have all her expenses covered, but she only received $33,000 in compensation.