‘Deadpool 2’ Stunt Person Dies in On-Set Motorcycle Accident
A female stunt person died tragically in an on-set motorcycle accident while filming Deadpool 2.
The driver has been identified as Joi Harris, who goes by SJ. SJ was a professional motorcycle racer.
The crew had been filming the stunt at Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver, British Columbia when the deadly accident took place. Witnesses say she lost control of the motorcycle, which drove off the set and crashed into a window pane at Shaw Tower.
Harris was immediately loaded onto an Advanced Life Support ambulance, which stayed on the scene for 45 minutes. The vehicle then drove off without its lights or sirens.
Ryan Reynolds, who plays the film’s main character, addressed the incident on Twitter hours later.
“We’re heartbroken, shocked and devastated, but recognize nothing can come close to the grief and inexplicable pain her family and loved ones must feel in this moment,” he wrote. “My heart pours out to them – along with each and every person she touched in this world.”
Harris, from Brooklyn. New York, was an accomplished racer and was, in her words, the first African American woman to ride in sanctioned road races.
Deadpool 2 was reportedly the racer’s first film as a stunt person. Witnesses say she had done a few practice runs of the stunt, but that the last one was “really quick and she wobbled out.”
The cause of the crash has yet to be determined, but WorkSafeBC, the agency in charge of occupational safety, and the Coroners Service are investigating the incident.
About 80% of motorcycle accidents occur in urban areas, like Vancouver, but this case is unique in that no other vehicles are believed to have been involved. Investigators will try and determine what caused Harris to lose control of the bike that ultimately led to her death.
WorkSafeBC has stated that the last time a person died while shooting a film was in October 1996 when a parachute malfunctioned after a stunt person jumped from a helicopter.
The agency says it dispatched five officers to the scene of Monday’s accident. Two of the officers were in charge of inspecting the site for “immediate occupational health and safety issues,” while the other three officers were charged with investigating “cause and prevention under the Workers’ Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation,” WorkSafeBC said.
Production on the sequel to the successful Deadpool film started in late June. The film is slated to be released in 2018.
Author: Jacob Maslow
