Earlier this month, filming for superhero movie, Deadpool 2, came to a screeching halt after the tragic death of a stuntwoman on set. The stunt driver in question, Joi “SJ” Harris, was in the process of performing a motorcycle action sequence when the accident occurred. A police investigation confirmed the stuntwoman’s death. She would be playing the part of Domino in the film and was reportedly not wearing a helmet when she lost control of the motor bike. Filming was immediately halted for the investigation, but the crew has once again resumed work on the movie in Vancouver.
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 14, 2017
Harris had been hastily brought in by the filming crew when they discovered they needed a new stunt driver. As such, there was reportedly no time to have a safety helmet made for her. The reasoning doesn’t add up, however – a small delay for the sake of actor/actress safety certainly wouldn’t have hurt anything. Regardless, Deadpool 2 production resumes as of the day of this writing and is expected to conclude on August 17. As such, the movie is expected to make its original June 2018 projected release date.
Accidents are a reality of life, and all we can do is prepare in case one strikes. Harris had performed several successful takes of the Deadpool 2 scene prior to the tragedy, and it was likely expected that filming would continue smoothly. It’s always disheartening to lose someone, and deepest condolences to Harris’s friends and family, and to the filming crew, who are no doubt wondering what else could have been done to prevent this shocking turn of events. Nevertheless, Deadpool 2 marches on, as do the countless other crew members who have poured their efforts into making the film as great as it can be. Keep your eyes peeled, as more details may be divulged regarding the incident in the near future.
