Dylan O'Brien Felt His Concerns Weren't 'Listened to' Day of 'Life-Changing' Near-Death Accident on "Maze Runner "Set

10/08/2024 07:59 PM

"I learned after the accident to not conflate taking care of yourself and looking after yourself," the actor told 'Men's Health'

Dylan O'Brien is reflecting on his near-death accident on the set of Maze Runner: The Death Cure in 2016.

The Saturday Night star, 33, opened up in a new interview with Men's Health about the "life-changing incident," explaining that his concerns weren't taken seriously on set that day. Now, 15 years into his career, he's learned to become his biggest advocate.

"It's taught me that, at the end of the day, in these spaces, you have your own back, and that's the most you can rely on," he told the magazine. "I know the person I am, and the character I bring to set, and the way I treat people and the way that I treat a workspace, and I know I'm not difficult. I know I'm not an asshole."

Related: Dylan O'Brien Admits He Was 'Self-Conscious' About Being 'Miscast' as Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night

"I know I was trying to protect myself that day, and so I've just never forgotten that," he continued. "That's always rung true as being the thing to hold with me."

While making the final Maze Runner movie, O'Brien performed a stunt that reportedly threw him from one vehicle and struck another while filming the action film in Vancouver. The accident left him with a concussion and a facial fracture, among other injuries, and production was halted in late April 2016. Filming resumed the following year and The Death Cure hit theaters in January 2018.

O'Brien explained that since he's "approached everything differently," adding "particularly with regards to standing [his] ground on set." 

"It's very commonplace in the culture for young actors to be controlled," O'Brien said, adding that's achieved by telling the young performers not to become "difficult" or "a pain in the ass."

Related: Dylan O'Brien Jokes He's 'Okay' If Dan Aykroyd 'Hates' His Saturday Night Portrayal of SNL Comedian (Exclusive)

"I learned after the accident to not conflate taking care of yourself and looking after yourself," the Teen Wolfalum said. 

"Don't let them manipulate you into thinking that is being difficult, because I can look at that day and know I was a 24-year-old kid who was raising concerns about how we were approaching things, and they were not listened to, they were not respected," he told Men's Health, adding, "Then what happened happened."

Although O'Brien was able "to build this armor" for himself, "it's a shame that it had to be that for [him]," he said. He explained that there's "nothing wrong" with telling people, " 'No, man, I'm going to look after myself, I'm going to take care of myself.' " 

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"There's nothing wrong with asking questions. There's nothing wrong with bringing ideas, even if we're talking creatively. It's our job to bring ideas. There's nothing wrong with raising concerns," he admitted.  

He also remarked that the nature of his job is a "collaborative" and "creative" process, but also actors will deal "with big dangerous s--- sometimes, too."

Saturday Night, which features O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd, hits theaters on Sept. 27,

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