Lucky escape on Dexter set

A near-tragedy was avoided on the set of Dexter through a miracle of fate after Jimmy Smits accidentally stabbed a stuntman for real during a fight scene.

Smits grabbed a real knife instead of a prop during shooting.

The stuntman was only saved by a piece of plastic placed over his heart – which Smits miraculously hit.

Smits recently joined the third series, which has seen a boost in its US ratings, up 21% from last season’s premiere and 20% from the season two finale.

No doubt that’s thanks to its screening on CBS during the Writers’ Strike and a host of award nominations.

Some spoilers follow…

During the scene in question, Smits was required to stab stuntman Jeff Chase.

Chase says, “For the scene, I was bound in Saran Wrap, duct tape over my mouth. I couldn’t say a thing as I saw Jimmy grab at the knife. He picked up the real one by pure mistake. It was a mean looking knife.

“I heard fellow actor Michael C. Hall yelling at Jimmy to stop – but it was too late. I felt the thud in my chest. I didn’t have on a metal breast plate like a lot of actors do in a scene like that.

“Instead I had a piece of acrylic clear plastic about the size of a Post-it note over my heart. It was a quarter of an inch thick and not attacked. In eight out of 10 takes with the prop knife, Jimmy had missed the plastic. But by a miracle, an act of God, the knife landed at the very edge of the plastic.

“I really thought I’d been stabbed in the heart, but I didn’t have a scratch. Jimmy was devastated and couldn’t stop apologising. I told him, I felt more sorry for him than me.”

Source: JAM