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blogged by: @ashleytearra
In the wake of all of the chaos surrounding #UmaThurman’s controversial interview with the New York Times, social outrage has since broken out amongst the stunt community.
Earlier this month, Thurman talked with the newspaper about her alleged #HarveyWeinstein assault and the horrific car crash that nearly ended her whole life on the set of one of Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ films.
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The life-changing incident took place after Thurman was asked to drive the infamous blue convertible during a scene shot in Mexico. Unfortunately, the actress lost control of the wheel and smashed into a palm tree, which to this day, has left her with permanent neck and knee injuries.
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While Thurman claimed that she was initially hesitant about operating the reconfigured vehicle but felt pressured by a furious Tarantino to do so, Tarantino said that–although he did encourage Thurman to do it, he was far from “furious.”
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In a remorseful interview with Deadline, the writer and director also admitted that it was one of the “biggest regrets of his life”, and had he known that a quick drive would’ve resulted in such a traumatizing crash, he wouldn’t have pushed for it.
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But, Thurman, on the other hand, feels that members of the production crew sought to conceal the accident from ever getting out to the press, for their own benefit, whether than making her well-being a priority. She also felt that the scene that she was asked to shoot was something that should’ve been conducted by a stunt professional.
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Since then, the stunt community has spoken out on the matter.
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“The stuff that went on is appalling,” stunt veteran Andy Armstrong told The Hollywood Reporter. “That could have been a death by decapitation. The car could easily have rolled over [or] the camera could have flown forward. It was irresponsibility on a mega level.”
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Recently, Thurman publicly released the crash footage that she’s waited nearly fifteen years to get, and it sparked even more opinions.
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“The situation as it has been described sounds like a stunt and would be a likely safety violation,” a spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA, of which Thurman is a member, added. “In general, only stunt professionals should perform stunts with guidance from a stunt coordinator to ensure a correct and safe performance.”
