According to Deadline, friends of deceased actors Raymundo Garduño Cruz and Juan Francisco González Aguilar, who died in an automobile accident in Mexico on Thursday, June 16th, are asking for a thorough investigation into alleged issues with production that may or may not have played a role in the fatal accident.
The pair were part of the cast and crew of Netflix’s The Chosen One riding in a van in Santa Rosalía—Loreto en route to a local airport when it crashed and flipped leaving two dead and four injured.
The four survivors are said to be recovering and in good condition. Deadline could not reach anyone at the local hospital where they’re reportedly hospitalized to confirm reports on Sunday, June 19th.
Writer Rick Zazueta shared a lengthy post via Facebook alleging the cast had previously complained of logistical and transportation issues on the production.
“This is a plea for justice for these deaths,” Zazueta writes in part. “This was no ordinary accident, the cast had been complaining openly about the logistical and transport issues faced in this production, calling it illogical, unreasonable, ignorant, and stupid. The conditions of the van were completely unfit for the purpose of transporting people; worn-out tires, noisy brakes, loose steering wheel, not all seat belts worked, easily identifiable signs of danger. But, the show must go on, and the actors get wrapped up in the art form and want to work, and don’t get as many opportunities to work, so they take these gigs with big dreams of NETFLIX and the promise of a small paycheck.”
Liliana Conlisk Gallegos, a friend of González Aguilar (known professionally as Paco Mufote) spoke with the Daily Beast about her outrage over the accusations.
“Paco touched the hearts of everyone he ever met, he was a great actor with a strong trajectory,” Gallegos told the outlet. “He loved acting and playing music more than anything in the world and he dedicated himself to it, many times suffering economic hardship. He sacrificed for his love of acting.”
“It fills me with rage that there are reports of abuse and exploitation being shared by people involved with the production,” she added. “I would like to demand that this is further investigated. If nothing wrong was going on, then there shouldn’t be an issue with providing the information.”
Sources: La Voz / Daily Beast / Deadline
