Several crew members were injured on the set of Eddie Murphy’s upcoming movie The Pickup after two vehicles collided.
“Unfortunately, the sequence did not go as planned and several members of the crew were injured as a result. We are still in the process of gathering facts on what happened and why, but first and foremost our thoughts are with those who are recovering,” an Amazon MGM studios spokesperson told the Associated Press days after the incident occurred on April 20, 2024.
The spokesperson continued: “The well-being of the entire crew and cast is our first priority, and we will continue to insist on the highest industry standards of safety while filming. All safety precautions were reviewed prior to and monitored during the shoot.”
Keep scrolling for everything we know so far about the crew member injuries on the set of The Pickup:
What Went Wrong on the Set of Eddie Murphy’s ‘The Pickup’?The incident took place outside of Atlanta, where The Pickup has been filming since February 2024. The Associated Press reported that the collision occurred after a truck locked up and hit a car. A person who spoke to the outlet anonymously said that “it was a completely freak accident,” claiming that the scene being filmed “wasn’t even a complicated or dangerous stunt.”
Video of the crash obtained by The New York Times showed a truck pulling up alongside an S.U.V. before swerving into it. Both vehicles then veered off the road and rolled over before landing upright.
Georgia State police told the outlet that the S.U.V. had one occupant, the driver, while the truck was carrying seven crew members, five of whom were secured in the back of the truck with belt restraints attached to the walls.
Law enforcement added that the two vehicles were supposed to collide for the stunt. However, when they made contact, the truck’s brush guard became entangled in the S.U.V.’s wheel well.
How Many Crew Members Were Injured?Eight crew members were taken to the hospital after the crash, the authorities confirmed to multiple outlets. The Georgia State Police said that two people who were ejected from the truck sustained life-threatening injuries while a third individual was seriously injured.
One Crew Member Suffered ‘Extensive Bodily Injuries’
A GoFundMe page set up for crew member Marvin Haven revealed that he suffered “extensive bodily injuries” from the crash, including “broken ribs, multiple fractures in his neck and back, a shattered scapula, punctured lung, and a skull fracture which will require facial reconstructive surgery.”
The page, which has a fundraising goal of $100,000, adds that Haven has been working as a dolly grip for 26 years and is “fiercely devoted to his beautiful wife, Melissa.”
Is the Incident Being Investigated?The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which represents crew members, told Variety in a statement that they have “started an injury” into the accident.
The U.S. Labor Department is also looking into the incident. Eric Lucero, a Labor Department spokesperson, told The New York Times that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had “initiated an investigation.”
Murphy, who stars in and coproduces the upcoming heist film, was reportedly not on set at the time of the crash. Neither were his costars Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson.
Has Eddie Murphy Addressed the Incident?Murphy has not yet spoken out about the accident on the set of The Pickup.
