A car crash that happened during a stunt sequence on the set of a new heist film starring two former Disney actors has left several injured in Atlanta.
A Stunt Scene Gone Wrong
The accident took place on Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia, on the set of the Amazon MGM Studios new heist film titled The Pickup, starring Eddie Murphy and Keke Palmer. A spokesperson for MGM Studios said that the accident happened during an action sequence that had been rehearsed previously.
“Unfortunately, the sequence did not go as planned, and several members of the crew were injured as a result,” the spokesperson explained.
Safety on the Set
The Amazon MGM spokesperson continued, noting that safety is of the utmost importance to the studio. In his statement, the spokesperson said:
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.
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.
How Did It Happen?
On Tuesday, the Associated Press described the incident as a car crash that happened when a truck “locked up” and made impact with another vehicle. Per the AP, an anonymous source said that the scenario was a “completely freak accident” that took place during a stunt that, prior to the accident, wasn’t considered especially dangerous.
Because of the injuries they sustained, two crew members were hospitalized, and as of Tuesday, one of those crew members remained in the hospital. Their injuries reportedly “ranged from bumps and bruises to broken bones” but were not considered life-threatening.
The Film’s Stars Were Not Involved
Eddie Murphy and Keke Palmer, the stars of the new film, were not involved in the accident and were not among those who sustained injuries during the stunt sequence.
Both Murphy and Palmer have a long list of acting credits to their names, many of which are Disney-owned projects. In 1992, Eddie Murphy debuted with Disney as Thomas J. Johnson in the Hollywood Pictures film, The Distinguished Gentleman. Then, in 1998, Murphy lent his voice to Mushu in Walt Disney Animation’s Mulan.
Five years later, he starred in the role of Jim Evers in Disney’s The Haunted Mansion, inspired by the Disney Parks attraction by the same name.
Keke Palmer starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, It’s My Turn Now, during which she showcased her singing talents. She lent that same voice to Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins in the animated series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, and Palmer is also the voice behind the character of Izzy Hawthorne in Pixar’s Toy Story spinoff film Lightyear (2022).
Murphy’s Latest Film
Amazon MGM Studios’ new film, The Pickup, is directed by Tim Story and was written by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. It is described as a heist comedy and stars–alongside Murphy and Palmer–Pete Davidson, Eva Longoria, Andrew Dice Clay, and Marshawn Lynch.
The project is part of a three-film deal between Eddie Murphy and Amazon Studios that included Candy Cane Lane, which debuted on Amazon Prime during the 2023 holiday season.
Filming is taking place in Atlanta and will reportedly wrap in June.