'Marvel's Luke Cage' Stunt Coordinator Says 'It's Not Worth It' in Regards to Recent Stunt Actor Deaths

During tonight's Creative Arts Emmy Awards, ahead of the Primetime Emmy Awards, two honors were bestowed upon stunt teams, including James Lew winning Outstanding Stunt Coordination For A Drama Series, Limited Series Or Movie for Marvel's Luke Cage. Many were surprised that neither recipient addressed the recent deaths in the stunt acting community, with Deadline reporting that Lew gave comments about the situation backstage.

"I truly believe that the more experienced stunt coordinator," Lew explained, without citing the specific incidents, "you can give a better judgment on what you feel is not going to work story-wise, and also for danger. I like to tell producers, 'I like to be stupid safe, because we're only making entertainment, it's not worth it.'"

Eddie Perez, who won the award for Stunt Coordination For A Comedy Series Or Variety Program for his work on Shameless, also commented on the matter.

"We put our lives at stake every day when we go to work, and I appreciate that everybody supports us," Perez explained.

Back in July, John Bernecker passed away following an accident on the set of The Walking Dead, shocking the series' cast and crew.

"The family of John Bernecker is heartbroken to confirm that John has passed away from injuries sustained earlier this week," a statement from the Bernecker family read. "Although devastated by their loss, John's loved ones have ensured his legacy will live on, not only through the personal and professional contributions he made during his life, but also by their generous decision to allow John to save lives as an organ donor."

Only six weeks later, another tragic accident took place on set of another comic book project, with racer Joi "S.J." Harris dying on the set of Deadpool 2. Making Harris' incident all the more horrifying was the revelation that she wasn't a stunt performer, granting her a different skill set than those involved in the stunt industry.

"She was improving, but I was watching her and, oh my God, I thought, 'It's just a matter of time before she crashes into a wall or runs somebody over," the stunt performer who had been training Harris the day before the crash told The Hollywood Reporter.

Hopefully these tragedies mark the end of this deadly trend.