Kate Beckinsale is suing the producers of Canary Black for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and battery after she was injured on set.
Kate Beckinsale is suing the producers of Canary Black for negligence after she was injured on set.
The 51-year-old actress has claimed she was subjected to “dangerous and unsafe conditions” on the set of the crime drama, which was released last October, and is taking legal action against Anton Entertainment Media Services, Inc., and its employees, including producer John Zois, after accusing them of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and battery, Puck reports.
Kate initially filed her lawsuit under the anonymous alias Jane Doe in December, but she issued an amended complaint on 21 May, which included communications with the producers and further details of her injury.
In the complaint, Kate alleged she arrived on set in Croatia in 2022 to discover the personal trainer, massage therapist and gym equipment she had been promised were not present, 15-hour days were common, and she was pushed to do her own stunts after her body double broke her ankle and producers drafted in an “unqualified” replacement, who was the girlfriend of Canary Black’s stunt coordinator.
People magazine reports her agent, Shani Rosenzweig, wrote to Zois: “No one is actually taking real action to put a plan in place to fix this situation so it never happens again… [Ms. Beckinsale] keeps showing up to set for her call time and everyone around her has been made aware it’s going to be a 15 hour [or more] day except for her.
“If you’re trying to kill a person, you’re doing a great job.”
He allegedly replied and agreed to shorten the “unsustainable” work days.
He added: “I don’t know what else to say other than you’re right.”
However, the 15-hour days were said to have continued.
The lawsuit alleged concerns about on-set safety were largely ignored and production was halted for months when Kate suffered a complex meniscus tear in her left knee during a scene when a male co-star threw her against a wall.
Filming finally resumed after consultations with the actress’ surgeon and lawyer, who asked an on-set physiotherapist to be able to shut things down and a list of limitations was agreed on, including no running, humping, harness suspension, squatting or kicking.
But the lawsuit stated: “Production made little to no attempt to adhere to the list [and] acted intentionally … to put Ms. Beckinsale in unsafe situations, and coerce her while on camera to perform.”
Kate alleged she suffered further injuries “including aggravation and exacerbation of her existing injuries, which was entirely avoidable”, as a result of the alleged negligence and “conscious and reckless decisions” being made on set.
In the newly amended complaint, Beckinsale allegedly suffered a “significant trauma” to her knee after she was exposed to “dangerous and unsafe conditions” on the Canary Black set.
“Ms. Beckinsale and her team repeatedly raised red flags regarding unsafe conditions on and off set to Defendants, including long, dangerous set days, often lasting fifteen hours, inadequate equipment and medical personnel to help manage the high physical workload and recover from the exertion off set, and failure to adequately inform Ms. Beckinsale of what stunts she was expected to perform until often the moment she had to perform it,” the complaint read.
The actress also alleges that although she raised her concerns repeatedly, the producers put her ” in harm’s way” after they “continued to recklessly and intentionally forge ahead with unsafe filming conditions, forgoing safety to maintain profit margins.”
Kate Beckinsale sues Canary Black producers for negligence following knee injury
