Top 10 TV Actors Who Permanently Damaged Their Bodies

“Reacher” (2022)

As a former U.S. Army military policeman tracking down a murderer, Jack Reacher has his fair share of action scenes. Reacher isn’t afraid of a fight against multiple opponents. He’s been known to chase down enemies and run through burning buildings. So, it’s no wonder that actor Alan Ritchson took some damage. Over the course of the first season, he broke the AC joint in his shoulder and tore one of his oblique muscles. We imagine he’ll have to treat himself with a little more care in Season 2.

“Cowboy Bebop” (2021)

John Cho gave a lot of himself to the sci-fi TV series, “Cowboy Bebop.” He not only moved his family to New Zealand, but he was also injured on the show. His character, Spike Spiegel, leads a quirky group of bounty hunters as they travel around the universe. While filming a night scene, Cho took a misstep and tore his ACL. The show had to halt filming for nearly a year while he recovered from surgery. Even though it’s Spike’s partner Jet Black who has a cybernetic limb, after the accident, Cho was the one sporting a reconstructed knee.

“Euphoria” (2019-)

It’s usually a good thing when actors have a close relationship on set. Unfortunately for Jacob Elordi, his trust in Eric Dane led to a head injury. In the Season 1 finale, Elordi’s character, Nate, and his father have a very intense fight scene. The two actors discussed ahead of time that they’d try to make it as real as possible. Dane didn’t hold back as his on-screen son’s head was smashed repeatedly into a hardwood floor. It’s a traumatic scene to watch and is made even worse knowing the results. Elordi ended up bleeding and with a concussion that had him vomiting after shooting. We’re sure fans will agree that this heartthrob should be a little more cautious with his head in the future.

“S.W.A.T.” (2017-)

The moment when a hero hangs from the landing gear of a helicopter is iconic in action films and television shows. However, when Kenny Johnson’s character, Dominique Luca, was slated to act out this exciting moment it, didn’t go as planned. Although the full details of his injury are unavailable, they resulted in hip surgery and physical therapy. Johnson brought a lawsuit against Sony Entertainment and Topanga Productions for unsafe working conditions. The injury, combined with the lawsuit, may have caused his delayed return in Season 4 of the show.

“Quantico” (2015-18)

Priyanka Chopra Jonas did a lot of her own stunts in the hit series, “Quantico.” If Alex Parrish is fighting her way out of a precarious situation, then it’s probably Chopra Jonas duking it out. Considering all of those hazardous circumstances, who would have guessed that it was a snowy day and slick rubber boots that sent her to the ER? While running on the wet road, Chopra Jonas slipped and hit her head on the bumper of a nearby car. A swift trip to the hospital and she was diagnosed with a concussion. Head injuries are serious business, and her doctor emphasized she’d need to be woken up every couples of hours to make sure she was still OK.

“Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers” (2021)

Nick Jonas is a man of many talents. Whether he’s singing, acting, or producing, somehow this Renaissance man usually comes out on top. However, Olympic sports might not be his forte. While filming the special “Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers,” Nick wiped out while riding a BMX bike. As he crashed, his brothers, Joe and Kevin, narrowly missed hitting him with their own bikes. An ambulance quickly took Nick to the hospital and the verdict was a fractured rib. Even though Jonas prides himself on giving 110 percent, he admitted that this time, the result was a little more painful than usual.

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (2017-)

Rachel Brosnahan has won many awards for her portrayal of the hilarious Midge Maisel. She took on not only the comedic housewife’s hilarious quick wit, but also the 1950s costumes. Brosnahan admits that the classic undergarments aren’t her favorite, and she’s glad they’re no longer a part of modern life. However, they did help her develop Midge’s physical character. Sadly, multiple seasons of wearing constrictive corsets have had an effect on her body. Portraying her fast-talking character while being squeezed into an hourglass figure has fused her ribs together. This “corset-related injury” means that she can no longer take very deep breaths.

“Batwoman” (2019-22)

While filming stunts for the CW series “Batwoman,” Ruby Rose sustained a very serious injury. Two herniated discs were so close to her spinal cord that there was a danger of it being severed. Leading up to the surgery, Rose was experiencing chronic pain and wasn’t able to feel her arms. She would randomly drop items because of the injury. Later, the Australian actress revealed in a series of Instagram stories that the misconduct surrounding this injury was one of the reasons she exited the show after just one season.

“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit “ (1999-)

At first, Mariska Hargitay’s on-set injury didn’t seem like a big deal. During a stunt, she had to repeatedly jump and land on a cushioned pad. After the second fall, Hargitay knew something didn’t feel right, but she assumed she’d pulled a muscle and moved on. Months later, Hargitay started to have bouts of chest pain and shortness of breath. After an X-ray, doctors discovered that half of her lung had collapsed. It took multiple surgeries to correct the problem. Looking back on the frightening experience, Hargitay admits that more than anything it helped her focus on the blessings in her life.

“The Good Wife” (2009-16)

You’d think that spending night after night floating in a bubble on Broadway would be more dangerous than filming a procedural drama. However, Kristin Chenoweth sustained life-threatening injuries while playing the journalist, Peggy Byrne, on “The Good Wife.” The incident occurred while they were filming an outdoor scene in New York City. A piece of lighting equipment fell and hit Chenoweth in the face. The tiny actress was pushed to the curb and fractured her skull, teeth, and ribs. It’s also affected her memory and overall health. She now regrets not taking legal action after the injury. However, her bubbly personality can’t be kept down. Despite the trauma of the incident, Chenoweth revealed that it was ultimately her hair extensions that saved her life.