10 Actor Injuries You ACTUALLY See in the TV Show
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VOICE OVER: Tom Aglio
WRITTEN BY: Holly Hoyt
Ooh, that's gotta hurt! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the times TV actors got hurt for real, and we saw it happen! Our countdown includes moments from shows "Game of Thrones", "Fawlty Towers", "Breaking Bad" and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times TV actors got hurt for real, and we saw it happen! Which TV injury do you think looked the most excruciating? Let us know in the comments!
Since the creation of the franchise in 1966, “Star Trek” has featured actors performing all kinds of intense stunts. And on occasion, these feats result in a universe of pain. Take the original series’ 17th episode as an example. In “The Squire of Gothos,” guest star William Campbell – who played General Trelane – dislocated his shoulder as he sparred with William Shatner in the forest. Although Campbell managed to pop it back into place by instinctively flinging his arm, the incident caused production to go a day over schedule. If you watch closely, you can see Campbell slightly favoring his “good arm” during the brawl.
“CSI: NY” (2004-13)
Portrayed by the glamorous Melina Kanakaredes, crime scene investigator Stella Bonasera is a badass. Stella works alongside Detective Mac Taylor (played by Gary Sinise), serving as the Assistant Supervisor of the NYPD crime lab. During her time in this role, Stella protected the city with impeccable stealth and poise – er, most of the time. Season 5’s opener “Veritas” finds Stella and her team embroiled in a conflict with a killer named Ethan Scott. A chase ensues between Stella and Scott on a fire escape, during which the former trips and gets a very real scar on her left leg.
“Dad’s Army” (1968-77)
If you’re unfamiliar with this classic sitcom, “Dad’s Army” is bursting with good old fashioned British humor. Set in World War II, the show follows the adventures of English Home Guard volunteers, most of whom are too old or otherwise unqualified to join the regular army. Many of the laughs come from the inept group attempting to execute strenuous military exercises. When Season Three rolled around, these efforts proved to be too much for John Le Mesurier, who played Sergeant Arthur Wilson. The 57-year-old actor strained a ligament in his leg as he threw himself onto the ground in one episode.
“Dr. Who” (1963-)
Whovians know Sylvester McCoy as the whimsical and mysterious Seventh Doctor. Notably, McCoy’s incarnation of the famous Time Lord was the last to appear before the series went on hiatus in 1989. The Season 26 finale, titled “Survival,” also marked the only time McCoy’s Doctor came face to face with Anthony Ainley’s Master. Although Ainley and McCoy starred as iconic mortal enemies, they had one thing in common: their hatred of the contact lenses they had to wear in this final serial. Both found the lenses to be extremely uncomfortable and it’s visible if you watch closely. It didn’t help that Ainley had to hit McCoy with a giant animal bone – though McCoy was so irritated by the contacts that he barely noticed.
“Riverdale” (2017-23)
Debuting in 2017, this popular show presents a darker, more dramatic version of the beloved comic series than previously seen. KJ Apa stars as Archie Andrews, who goes from “everyday teenager” to “hero” at the end of Season 1. A scene in the finale finds Archie and his friends venturing to save their classmate when she falls through thin ice. Although Apa was actually punching a foam mat, he hit it with so much gusto that he actually broke his hand. What’s more, it was so cold on set that he didn’t even notice the injury until 20 minutes after it occurred.
“Breaking Bad” (2008-13)
As methamphetamine cook and dealer Jesse Pinkman, Aaron Paul filmed his share of fight scenes. But a slip that occurred behind the scenes of Season Two, Episode Two stands out as especially harrowing. Here, Paul suffered a concussion when Raymond Cruz (in character as Tuco Salamanca) pushed him into a screen door. Immediately feeling the effects of the tumble, Paul begged Cruz to stop, but Cruz simply thought his cries for help were part of the script and continued to beat the crap out of him. Real-life mistakes aside, you have to admit the final take looks pretty authentic.
Sirtis’ depiction of Counselor Deanna Troi earned her considerable fame - and, for a time, considerable pain. In Season 5’s “Power Play,” Troi is part of an away team that explores an uninhabited moon. When told there was a stunt that involved the crew being violently thrown backward, Sirtis had the option to use a double, as all her fellow actors were doing. She opted to do the stunt, and although they were able to get a great shot, it came at a hefty price: Sirtis hurt her tailbone while crashing to the ground. In Sirtis’ view, the worst part of this was that no one could see her face from that distance anyway, so no one would’ve known it was her rather than a double.
“Fawlty Towers” (1975-79)
“Fawlty Towers” is celebrated for its sharp writing and hilarious physical comedy. The sitcom also features performances from British comedy legends, such as John Cleese and Andrew Sachs. Sachs’ portrayal of waiter Manuel earned him lots of love from his audience, but unfortunately, he was injured a few times while recording the shows’ humorous mishaps. In addition to the time he was accidentally set on fire, Sachs once found himself on the receiving end of a so-called “staged” hit on the head with an unexpectedly real frying pan. Talk about devotion to the craft.
“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)
Jon Snow is among the most famous players in the “Game of Thrones,” and Kit Harrington has been widely praised for giving life to the heroic Snow. And according to behind-the-scenes info for the episode “Winterfell,” it sounds like Harrington suffered for his art big time. To film a sequence where Snow rides a dragon, Harrington had to sit on a mechanical bull-like device that bucked around crazily. At one point, it grabbed hold of him in a particularly vulnerable spot, causing poor Kit significant discomfort – and fear. Being the seasoned professional he is, he soldiered through the scene, but if you watch very closely, you can see him grimacing.
“Friends” (1994-2004)
Joey Tribbiani is a fan-favorite character on “Friends.” What he lacks in intelligence, he makes up for in loyalty and lovability. That’s why we felt so badly for his actor, Matt LeBlanc, in Season 3’s “The One Where No One’s Ready.” A subplot of this episode involves Joey and his roommate Chandler fighting over a couch in their neighbor Monica’s apartment. At a moment where they both make a mad dash for the spot, Matt LeBlanc dislocated his shoulder. The writers were able to cleverly incorporate the accident into the show, having Joey – in typical Joey fashion – get hurt while jumping on his bed.
#10: William Campbell
“Star Trek” (1966-69)Since the creation of the franchise in 1966, “Star Trek” has featured actors performing all kinds of intense stunts. And on occasion, these feats result in a universe of pain. Take the original series’ 17th episode as an example. In “The Squire of Gothos,” guest star William Campbell – who played General Trelane – dislocated his shoulder as he sparred with William Shatner in the forest. Although Campbell managed to pop it back into place by instinctively flinging his arm, the incident caused production to go a day over schedule. If you watch closely, you can see Campbell slightly favoring his “good arm” during the brawl.
#9: Melina Kanakaredes
“CSI: NY” (2004-13)
Portrayed by the glamorous Melina Kanakaredes, crime scene investigator Stella Bonasera is a badass. Stella works alongside Detective Mac Taylor (played by Gary Sinise), serving as the Assistant Supervisor of the NYPD crime lab. During her time in this role, Stella protected the city with impeccable stealth and poise – er, most of the time. Season 5’s opener “Veritas” finds Stella and her team embroiled in a conflict with a killer named Ethan Scott. A chase ensues between Stella and Scott on a fire escape, during which the former trips and gets a very real scar on her left leg.
#8: John Le Mesurier
“Dad’s Army” (1968-77)
If you’re unfamiliar with this classic sitcom, “Dad’s Army” is bursting with good old fashioned British humor. Set in World War II, the show follows the adventures of English Home Guard volunteers, most of whom are too old or otherwise unqualified to join the regular army. Many of the laughs come from the inept group attempting to execute strenuous military exercises. When Season Three rolled around, these efforts proved to be too much for John Le Mesurier, who played Sergeant Arthur Wilson. The 57-year-old actor strained a ligament in his leg as he threw himself onto the ground in one episode.
#7: Sylvester McCoy
“Dr. Who” (1963-)
Whovians know Sylvester McCoy as the whimsical and mysterious Seventh Doctor. Notably, McCoy’s incarnation of the famous Time Lord was the last to appear before the series went on hiatus in 1989. The Season 26 finale, titled “Survival,” also marked the only time McCoy’s Doctor came face to face with Anthony Ainley’s Master. Although Ainley and McCoy starred as iconic mortal enemies, they had one thing in common: their hatred of the contact lenses they had to wear in this final serial. Both found the lenses to be extremely uncomfortable and it’s visible if you watch closely. It didn’t help that Ainley had to hit McCoy with a giant animal bone – though McCoy was so irritated by the contacts that he barely noticed.
#6: KJ Apa
“Riverdale” (2017-23)
Debuting in 2017, this popular show presents a darker, more dramatic version of the beloved comic series than previously seen. KJ Apa stars as Archie Andrews, who goes from “everyday teenager” to “hero” at the end of Season 1. A scene in the finale finds Archie and his friends venturing to save their classmate when she falls through thin ice. Although Apa was actually punching a foam mat, he hit it with so much gusto that he actually broke his hand. What’s more, it was so cold on set that he didn’t even notice the injury until 20 minutes after it occurred.
#5: Aaron Paul
“Breaking Bad” (2008-13)
As methamphetamine cook and dealer Jesse Pinkman, Aaron Paul filmed his share of fight scenes. But a slip that occurred behind the scenes of Season Two, Episode Two stands out as especially harrowing. Here, Paul suffered a concussion when Raymond Cruz (in character as Tuco Salamanca) pushed him into a screen door. Immediately feeling the effects of the tumble, Paul begged Cruz to stop, but Cruz simply thought his cries for help were part of the script and continued to beat the crap out of him. Real-life mistakes aside, you have to admit the final take looks pretty authentic.
#4: Marina Sirtis
“Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-94)Sirtis’ depiction of Counselor Deanna Troi earned her considerable fame - and, for a time, considerable pain. In Season 5’s “Power Play,” Troi is part of an away team that explores an uninhabited moon. When told there was a stunt that involved the crew being violently thrown backward, Sirtis had the option to use a double, as all her fellow actors were doing. She opted to do the stunt, and although they were able to get a great shot, it came at a hefty price: Sirtis hurt her tailbone while crashing to the ground. In Sirtis’ view, the worst part of this was that no one could see her face from that distance anyway, so no one would’ve known it was her rather than a double.
#3: Andrew Sachs
“Fawlty Towers” (1975-79)
“Fawlty Towers” is celebrated for its sharp writing and hilarious physical comedy. The sitcom also features performances from British comedy legends, such as John Cleese and Andrew Sachs. Sachs’ portrayal of waiter Manuel earned him lots of love from his audience, but unfortunately, he was injured a few times while recording the shows’ humorous mishaps. In addition to the time he was accidentally set on fire, Sachs once found himself on the receiving end of a so-called “staged” hit on the head with an unexpectedly real frying pan. Talk about devotion to the craft.
#2: Kit Harrington
“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)
Jon Snow is among the most famous players in the “Game of Thrones,” and Kit Harrington has been widely praised for giving life to the heroic Snow. And according to behind-the-scenes info for the episode “Winterfell,” it sounds like Harrington suffered for his art big time. To film a sequence where Snow rides a dragon, Harrington had to sit on a mechanical bull-like device that bucked around crazily. At one point, it grabbed hold of him in a particularly vulnerable spot, causing poor Kit significant discomfort – and fear. Being the seasoned professional he is, he soldiered through the scene, but if you watch very closely, you can see him grimacing.
#1: Matt LeBlanc
“Friends” (1994-2004)
Joey Tribbiani is a fan-favorite character on “Friends.” What he lacks in intelligence, he makes up for in loyalty and lovability. That’s why we felt so badly for his actor, Matt LeBlanc, in Season 3’s “The One Where No One’s Ready.” A subplot of this episode involves Joey and his roommate Chandler fighting over a couch in their neighbor Monica’s apartment. At a moment where they both make a mad dash for the spot, Matt LeBlanc dislocated his shoulder. The writers were able to cleverly incorporate the accident into the show, having Joey – in typical Joey fashion – get hurt while jumping on his bed.
