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Netflix’s upcoming series, The Chosen One, recently had to halt production after two of its actors, Juan Francisco Gonzalez Aguilar and Raymundo Garduno Cruz, tragically passed away in a fatal car crash. The incident left two more actors and four crew members injured.
The crash took place on June 16 near Mulege in Baja California Sur when the six members were traveling towards the airport from Santa Rosalia, where they were filming The Chosen One. The van they traveled in reportedly flipped after “running off the road” in a desert region.
The deceased actors were later identified by the Baja California Department of Culture, while the remaining injured members were considered stable. Redrum, the production house that was overseeing the show, announced that they have halted production of the series following the incident.
Meanwhile, Netflix issued an official statement addressing the incident and offering condolences to the late actors and their families:
“We’re sad to confirm that two cast members have passed away after a tragic accident in transit from Santa Rosalía to the local airport. Our thoughts are with them and their family at this time.”
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) also announced that it was in touch with Netflix and the Mexican actors union ANDA to look into the incident and investigate the circumstances surrounding the local production.
The organization said that maintaining safety on-set is its “top priority” and it will continue to take the required steps to ensure that its members and other individuals are safe.
A look back into the life of Netflix's The Chosen One actors Juan Francisco Gonzalez Aguilar and Raymundo Garduno Cruz
Juan Francisco Gonzalez Aguilar and Raymundo Garduno Cruz were both Mexican actors. Aguilar was reportedly recognized by his professional name Paco Mufote and is known for his roles in shows like El Porvenir and People from Another Planet.
His friend Liliana Conlisk Gallegos told The Daily Beast that Aguilar was a great actor who touched several hearts during his lifetime:
“Paco touched the hearts of everyone he ever met, he was a great actor with a strong trajectory.”
Gallegos also shared that Aguilar loved acting and playing music “more than anything in the world” and even faced economic hardship and other sacrifices “for his love of acting.”
She further mentioned that she was heartbroken over her friend’s death and accused the production house of The Chosen One and Netflix of alleged exploitation:
“It pains me to think he was taken advantage of, that he was being forced to work in subpar conditions, especially for a multimillionaire company like Netflix.”
Raymundo Garduno Cruz is also recognized as a well-known actor in the Mexican industry, known for his role in Here Comes the Devil, per IMDb. Cruz’s friend Fernando Bonilla, an actor and director, took to Twitter to pay his tribute to the star.
He mentioned that Cruz was an actor, director, and cultural manager who “adopted Tijuana as his home.” Bonilla addressed Cruz as a “festive and generous” and said that his loss left him “devasted” and with a “crushed heart.”
Bonilla further scrutinized the production house for the tragedy and questioned how the driver of the vehicle lost control while demanding an investigation:
“It is imperative that the production report how many hours of rest the driver who lost control of the truck had.”
Netlfix’s The Chosen One (not to be confused with the Portuguese series) was first announced in 2017 as an adaptation of Mark Millar and Peter Gross’ comic book series American Jesus. The show reportedly revolves around a 12-year-old boy who returns to Earth as Jesus Christ to save humankind.
Although filming was underway, no release date for the show was announced. However, the company has halted production operations due to the incident and is yet to reveal further plans for the project.
