Kate Beckinsale Sues Over “Dangerous” Filming Conditions

Kate Beckinsale is done staying silent. The 51-year-old actress has filed a lawsuit against the producers of her 2024 film Canary Black, accusing them of putting her through physically unsafe and emotionally distressing working conditions. She also accused them of ignoring repeated warnings from both her and her doctors.

According to newly filed court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Kate claims she was forced to work long, grueling hours — sometimes over 15 hours a day — despite having a serious knee injury that was supposed to keep her from doing any intense stunts.

The injury happened back in December 2022, while filming Canary Black. Kate suffered a complex tear in her left knee’s meniscus, which required surgery and halted production for several months. When she returned, her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jason Snibbe, gave strict instructions: no running, jumping, squatting, kicking, or harness work. But, Kate says, those instructions were ignored.

The lawsuit claims Kate was pressured into performing “unsafe action sequences,” and that the film’s production company, Anton Entertainment Media Services, Inc., along with producer John Zois and others, chose to overlook her injury to keep filming on track.

Things got so bad that her agent, Shani Rosenzweig, reportedly emailed Zois in frustration, writing, “If you’re trying to kill a person, you’re doing a great job.” 

She also accused the team of not making any serious changes to improve the situation and protect Kate’s health. In response, Zois allegedly admitted the work days were “unsustainable” and said, “You’re right,” while promising to shorten her hours.

Despite that, Kate’s lawyers say nothing really changed. She kept showing up to set only to be hit with last-minute stunts, a lack of proper medical staff, and no real plan to prevent more harm.

Kate originally filed the lawsuit anonymously as “Jane Doe” in December 2024, but on May 21, she updated the complaint with her name and added more evidence, including emails and text exchanges.

In her amended complaint, she accuses the producers of negligence, emotional distress, and battery. She also says the unsafe set and the pressure to perform worsened her injury, leading to unnecessary pain and long-term consequences all in the name of profit.