Summary: A Disney-owned production company pled guilty to criminal charges for having an unsafe movie set that nearly killed Harrison Ford.
Beloved actor Harrison Ford was seriously injured on set filming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in June 2014, and this week, a production company pled guilty for harming him.
Foodles Production Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Walt Disney, pled guilty to two criminal charges. In a British court, the company admitted to health and safety breaches that resulted in Ford being hit by a metal-framed hydraulic door that pinned him to the floor. He had been walking through the set of the Millennium Falcon, not knowing the set was live, when the door struck him.
Ford, now 74, was airlifted to a hospital and was given surgery. His pelvis had been struck, and he broke his leg. British authorities said the accident could have been fatal and the impact was similar to being struck by a car. In the U.K. any company that breaches health and safety laws are liable for criminal prosecution, NBC News reports.
“The British film industry has a world-renowned reputation for making exceptional films,” a spokesperson for the British government’s Health and Safety Executive said. “Managing on-set risks in a sensible and proportionate way for all actors and staff – regardless of their celebrity status – is vital to protecting both on-screen and off-screen talent, as well as protecting the reputation of the industry.”
Foodles said that it would appeal the extent of the risk, and the company faces sentencing next month.
Ford was reprising his legendary role of Hans Solo in the Star Wars franchise.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” earned $2 billion worldwide after its release in December.
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Source: NBC News, Deadline Hollywood