'The Office' Star Suffers Permanent Injury in Alleged Disney Set Accident

BBC's The Office star Ralph Ineson says his shoulder has been permanently damaged while filming the Disney+ sequel to the 1980s film Willow. In a lawsuit filed by the British actor, he claimed that a fall during an action sequence dislocated and permanently damaged his shoulder. The suit claims that rushed production schedules led to inadequate safety standards for actors, resulting in his injury.

The Disney+ series was filmed in South Wales in July of 2021 when the injury occurred during a night shoot. In the final scene, Ineson, 54, was dressed in a full suit of heavy plate armor and battling a nine-foot ogre called The Scourge when he "fell awkwardly," said his lawyers, per The Sun.

Ralph Ineson has filed a lawsuit aganist Disney after suffering a permanent shoulder injury on the set of ‘WILLOW’.

His injuries prevented him taking on subsequent physical roles, with his ability to play fighting & horse-riding roles permanently impaired.

(Source: Deadline) pic.twitter.com/55pHDg1rMX

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 23, 2023

The actor claims he dislocated his shoulder after catching his foot on a flight of stairs and has suffered injuries that prevent him from taking part in "physical" roles.

Among his work, Ineson is known for engaging in combat, horseback riding, and other physical activities. He is known for his roles in period pieces such as The Witch, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and The Green Knight, as well as the highly choreographed fight moves that he used in films such as The Northman, The Tragedy of Macbeth and others.

According to Ineson's lawsuit, he is seeking damages from Walt Disney Company Ltd in the amount of up to $190,500 in compensation for his pain and suffering, as well as potential losses in the future of his career. He also claims to be permanently unable to play roles "involving fighting and horse-riding." 

In 2001, Ineson first gained fame for portraying vulgar Chris Finch on the BBC sitcom The Office starring Ricky Gervais. He has since played many roles in films and television shows, including Amycus Carrow in the final two Harry Potter movies and Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones.

In a filing with London's High Court, his lawyer, David White, claims the actor fell due to fake foam gravel not being appropriately raked due to the pressures of filming deadlines and obstructing steps in the location, reported The Sun.

White states in the document, "The claimant caught his right foot on the step, fell and landed awkwardly on his right arm. The claimant felt the immediate onset of pain. He did not want to ruin the shot, so he stoically kept quiet and waited until the end of the shot, another 20 seconds or so, before speaking up and saying he had suffered injury."

Although Disney has not disclosed its defense against Ineson's lawsuit, many fans assume the company will attempt to reach a smaller settlement outside of court.