Gabrielle Carteris, best known for her role in Beverly Hills, 90210, recently opened up about a serious injury she sustained while filming in Canada during the early 2000s. On the February 23 episode of the Still Here Hollywood podcast, she recounted the traumatic experience that led to significant physical and emotional challenges.
Carteris, now 65, was the female lead in a film when an unnamed co-star, described as a “really big guy” standing at about 6 feet 6 inches tall, lifted her while they were rehearsing a scene. “He kept lifting me up over and over again,” she recalled. During the rehearsal, she expressed her discomfort, saying, “You can’t, don’t touch me anymore,” as he continued to lift her by her neck.
Days after this incident, Carteris began to notice alarming signs. “I started losing the feeling in my face,” she explained, recalling a moment when she looked in the mirror and saw part of her face not moving. “I was getting headaches, really bad headaches and I wasn’t feeling good.”
The situation escalated when she noticed that her appearance had drastically changed. “Suddenly, I looked like The Joker,” she stated, referring to the disfiguring condition that resulted from her injuries. “It was a form of palsy and then my body started to convulse.” Medical assistance was promptly called when a set doctor arrived to assess her condition.
Carteris decided to return home to Los Angeles for medical treatment. It was during her flight that she became fully aware of her altered appearance. “I remember being in the airport really deformed,” she said. “I couldn’t talk. I just felt so embarrassed because people were staring at me.”
Her recovery journey was extensive, taking “several years” with the assistance of the UCLA Movement Center, where she worked to regain her speech and physical control. “They were working with me to help me get my speech back,” she noted.
In the aftermath of her injuries, Carteris took significant steps to advocate for herself and others in the industry. “I did a lawsuit that took almost nine years, and I won that lawsuit,” she shared, stating it resulted in changes to laws in Canada regarding on-set safety.
The ordeal also had a profound impact on her career trajectory. “From all that, the things that stopped me from continuing with my acting brought me into my leadership and to my service,” she explained, emphasizing how the experience shifted her focus towards advocacy within the film industry.
Carteris served as the president of SAG-AFTRA from 2016 until 2021, demonstrating her commitment to improving conditions for actors. “This will be my paying it forward,” she added, reflecting on how her challenges ultimately shaped her leadership role.
While the physical scars of her injury have healed, the experience left an indelible mark on her life and career, transforming her pain into a purpose-driven approach to advocacy.
The conversation around personal injuries in the entertainment industry continues to gain attention, as more actors share their experiences. Carteris’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures on set and the resilience of those who face such formidable challenges.
