In a story that proves one can never be too careful in any situation, even in a place as controlled as the set of a TV series, the production of the upcoming Canadian drama Cardinal was interrupted when actor Brendan Fletcher (last seen in The Revenant) became the victim of a potentially deadly incident when an accidental discharge from a firearm left him hospitalized with a throat injury. Ouch.
While on the set in Sudbury, Ontario, Brendan Fletcher was apparently on the wrong end of a discharge from a gun that had not been completely emptied of its blanks. The actor took the shot to the throat, which caused a “serious flesh wound,” according to THR. The actor was taken to the hospital, where he received treatment, and was later discharged. Tyman Stewart, an agent with the Fletcher-representing The Characters Agency, states that the actor was not at fault for anything, and that he’s recovering well. He also says that “only time will tell” the extent of how well that recovery will go, but it’s hard to tell if that’s just him playing it safe for liability’s sake or if there is possibly something more worrisome going on.
A cautionary tale for anyone who ever made an assumption about whether a weapon was loaded or not, Fletcher’s injury was thankfully on the safer side of the spectrum, where the death of Brandon Lee during filming of The Crow is on the worst case scenario side. I still remember the first time I learned that a gun’s blanks can be severely dangerous under the right setting, and it blew my mind. And thinking about having one cut through some of my throat flesh just makes me want to hide in bed for the rest of the day, humming with appreciation of being able to do so.
Brendan Fletcher has been a TV vet for the past 20 years, also keeping a healthy presence on the big screen. You might recognize him from recent projects such as the Broadchurch remake Gracepoint or the action drama series Rogue. Or, if you’re the right kind of person, from Leprechaun: Origins. He’ll be starring in the upcoming (and troubled) HBO miniseries Lewis and Clark as well.
Cardinal, based on the novel series from Giles Blunt, will be the first post-Helix role for Billy Campbell, who will star as the titular detective John Cardinal as he attempts to solve a mystery involving a young girl whose body is found in an abandoned mine. This case will also be the first time he works with his new partner Lise Delorme, as played by Karine Vanasse.
Production on Cardinal began in February, and though it shut down immediately after the accident occurred, things are apparently back to normal and going smoothly. The plan is for CTV to bring the dark drama to audiences in the 2016-2017 season, hopefully without any more bloodshed.
