Confidential Documents Reveal Johnny Depp's 'City Of Lies' Set Was Riddled With Freak Accidents, Fights Among Crew & Tragedy
May 11 2021, Published 7:15 p.m. ET
Johnny Depp's 2018 City Of Lies film may have featured an award-winning cast but behind-the-scenes, it was anything but a one-take wonder.
RadarOnline.com has obtained confidential reports that show filming was not smooth sailing for the actor or the cast surrounding him.
According to the documents, there were numerous accidents and one fight reported. There was also one crew member who lost his life in a fatal car wreck that occurred off the movie set.
In the film, Depp played LAPD detective Russell Poole.
The crime movie follows the Los Angeles Police Department as they investigate the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. as if the crimes happened in the City of Angels.
Depp and Forest Whitaker -- who played journalist Jack Jackson -- began filming in December 2016 and wrapped up in May 2017.
RadarOnline.com has learned that within those short five months, the set was riddled with freak accidents and injuries.
On the very first day of shooting, one crew member was sent to the hospital after a nasty slip on the City Of Lies set.
On day three, someone from the crew was electrocuted.
The confidential documents state that the person was "shocked" while working on equipment in the rain.
They were "seen by a medic on set" and "returned to work" despite the injury. The equipment was removed from production immediately.
On day 12, an extra claimed to have been "hit by the director's vehicle." The production notes reveal this was reportedly "refuted by several eyewitnesses."
Within the first 8 days of filming, three car accidents were reported including a film truck slamming into a trailer, a film van crashing into a steel frame, and another van driver being rear-ended.
According to the confidential log, there was also a theft on set.
Production was shut down from January 26, 2017 to February 23, 2017 and when Depp returned he was sick as a dog.
The documents show he was suffering pain and fatigue due to a tooth ache on February 28.
On March 1, he was unable to work due to "sweats, fever, and feeling ill." Depp took a few days to recover before returning.
The last day of filming proved to be the toughest on the cast and their lead actor.
According to the confidential report, a production assistant failed to show up to work on April 12, 2017.
When the crew member "did not report to work" and "calls were not returned," production discovered he had been "in a fatal car accident due to an alleged drunk driver."
Johnny Depp also got into a scuffle with the film's location manager that day.
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According to the report, which was given to RadarOnline.com by infamous Hollywood fixer Paul Barresi, the actor became "very aggressive and confrontational" with the employee. The disagreement was "eventually separated by Mr. Depp's security and crew."
However, in 2018, a script supervisor defended Deep over the alleged argument, claiming the actor was just defending a homeless woman.
Filming wasn't the only hurdle the City Of Lies crew had to get through.
The release date was changed multiple times due to ongoing lawsuits. City Of Lies eventually premiered in Italy at the 2018 Courmayeur Noir Film Festival.
Paul Barresi
