Tragedy struck the set of Netflix's comic-adapted thriller The Chosen One on June 16, when two members of its cast — Raymundo Garduño Cruz and Juan Francisco González Aguilar — were killed in a vehicle accident near the set where the series was filming. Multiple others were reportedly injured, and production was halted as SAG-AFTRA began an investigation into the accident. Netflix and The Chosen One’s production company Redrum have now responded to the shocking and devastating event.
The accident involved a group of The Chosen One's cast and crew members riding in a van from Santa Rosalía to the local airport, when the van reportedly ran off the road and flipped over. Six other people in the vehicle were hospitalized in stable condition. Netflix expressed the condolences of its execs days after the actors' deaths, with a spokesperson for the streaming service saying in a statement (per EW):
We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took the lives of Ray Garduño and Juan Francisco González. Our thoughts are with their loved ones and with those injured during this unfortunate accident.
Safety on set is always an important issue, and it’s a topic we see highlighted anytime there is a death or injury that occurs in the workplace — including the 2017 death of Deadpool 2 stuntwoman Sequana Harris and more recently when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Rust. Although the van accident didn’t technically happen on the set itself, SAG-AFTRA said it was in contact with the Mexican actors union ANDA, and production was halted while they investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The production company Redrum also released a statement, saying they are cooperating with local authorities and are supporting all who have been hurt by the “unspeakable tragedy”:
All of us on the production of The Chosen One are shocked by the tragic accident occurred last Thursday, while on transit from Santa Rosalía, Baja California, to the local airport. We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleagues Ray Garduño and Juan Francisco González and are closely supporting all those affected by this unspeakable tragedy. Redrum has been cooperating with local authorities and initial reports and accounts from witnesses indicate that all safety protocols were in place and this was an unfortunate accident.
The Chosen One was filming Season 3 (with the first two seasons available for Netflix subscribers). Based on the comic American Jesus written by Mark Millar — who crafted the source material for and produced Jupiter’s Legacy for the streamer — and Peter Gross, The Chosen One tells the story of a child who learns he is Jesus Christ reincarnated, and it’s up to him to save humanity from itself. Season 1 premiered in June 2019, with Season 2's six episodes released in December of that same year.
It’s unknown if or when The Chosen One will return to production, nor when more answers about the accident and future of the franchise are likely to come, though the results of the investigation should help shine a light on that. Our condolences continue to go out to the friends and family of Raymundo Garduño Cruz and Juan Francisco González Aguilar, and we hope for a full recovery for the others involved in the van accident.
