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Rebel Wilson reveals she suffered a concussion, but not how you would think
Image Source: Eva Rinaldi/Wikimedia Commons
In the new film, “Isn’t It Romantic”, Rebel Wilson’s character Natalie experiences something strangely common in movies. She suffers a terrible brain injury that miraculously helps improve her life – albeit with some creative twists that help turn this trope on its head.
On set, however, Wilson learned first-hand just how non-romantic concussions can be.
Surprisingly, the injury wasn’t the result of a stunt scene gone wrong or choreographed fight scene. Rather, Wilson experienced her brain injury during an everyday moment meeting her co-stars in between filming.
“I was walking to meet Adam (Devine) and Liam (Hemsworth) for a rehearsal when we were shooting an outdoor Hamptons scene, and I slipped down a grass hill,” Wilson revealed to PEOPLE. “I got a concussion and was rushed to the hospital for three hours, and then came back and filmed a 16-hour day. I thought, how ironic, not from doing one of the crazy stunts, but from the grass having a bit of dew on it.”
While the film works to satirize and dismantle the old trope of a brain injury leading to huge positive changes in a person’s life, the injury on set is a more realistic view of the injury.
Neither did it suddenly help Wilson find greater success or self-confidence, nor did it trap her in an alternative reality – as in the film.
Image Source: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Instead, it was a temporary hurdle which sidelined Wilson for a short time and required some moderate restrictions for her health while shooting. Still, she was able to complete the film without major problems and fully recovered not long after her injury.
Most importantly, the events provide a clear picture of the reality of brain injuries. We often focus on the huge hits in football, the tragic injuries among veterans or the dramatic events leading up to a brain injury. However, the majority of head injuries are much more banal. They are the result of losing balance or slipping.
Falls remain one of the leading causes of brain injuries and it is important to remember how to identify and respond to brain injuries even when they happen outside of the stadium or combat zone.
At the premiere of the film, there was no sign she was experiencing any lingering symptoms or problems. She was all smiles alongside co-star Adam Devine and guest Miley Cyrus.
