Why Days Of Our Lives Alum Jensen Ackles Was Sued By A Man Struck By Lightning

Before achieving fame on the small screen, Jensen Ackles began his career as a model, eventually segueing into acting. After a few minor parts, Ackles lucked out when he was cast as the character Eric Brady on the daytime serial "Days of Our Lives," who was SORAS'd from younger actors into a teen in 1997. The role garnered him several award nominations, including three Daytime Emmys, and in 1998 Ackles took home the coveted Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Male Newcomer. After a highly successful run on the sudser, the sky was the limit for him.

Ackles went on to co-star in the beloved fantasy series "Supernatural," which ran from 2005 to 2020, where he played Dean Winchester, brother of Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), two hunters that battle the forces of evil, including demons and vampires. The show was so popular that after it ended, he and his wife Danneel Ackles teamed up with powerhouse Hollywood producer and director, McG, to produce a spin-off prequel series called "The Winchesters." 

The show follows the exploits of Sam and Dean's parents, John Winchester (Drake Rodger) and Mary Campbell (Meg Donnelly), during their own time as hunters before getting married. But after the first and only season aired, a crew member filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. claiming that unsafe working conditions caused him to be struck by lightning, and Ackles himself was one of the people named in the suit.

In a court document filed with the Superior Court of California on August 31, 2023, Bryan DeLorenzo, the first assistant "A" camera operator on "The Winchesters," claimed he was struck by lightning during the production of Season 1's second episode, "Teach Your Children Well." Warner Bros. Television, The CW Network, Jensen Ackles, his wife, Danneel Ackles, producer and director John Showalter, and several other people and production companies were named in the lawsuit as the defendants. 

DeLorenzo alleged that a storm delayed production on the episode's Louisiana set, so Showalter decided to film in heavy rain, thereby changing the scene. According to his filing, shooting is supposed to stop if lightning occurs within a six-mile radius of the set, and the crew must wait for 30 minutes after the storm subsides to continue. DeLorenzo claimed that after he voiced his safety concerns to Showalter, a large "boom" sound caused everyone to duck for cover. Then, he "saw a bright white light and then lightning struck him, knocking him unconscious." 

When DeLorenzo awoke, he thought there had been an explosion, felt burning in his chest, and was sent to the Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. He felt that the production team should have known the rules about filming when a lightning storm is happening, alleging they exhibited "willful and conscious disregard" for his safety and safety procedures, and they should have known something bad would happen.

According to the lawsuit filed against Jensen Ackles and the producers of "The Winchesters" by camera operator Bryan DeLorenzo, there was some correspondence regarding safety protocols for lightning storms before the incident. Assistant Production Coordinator, Aaron Geldner, emailed Warner Bros. Director of Production Safety, Margaret Burke, asking if the lightning detection equipment they had on set was up to date. The response from Burke came in the form of a few internet links to purchase other lightning strike detectors, as well as a recommendation to use an app called "My Lightning Tracker."

DeLorenzo's lawsuit was for alleged damages caused to him from being struck by lightning, which were numerous. They included "extreme emotional distress, embarrassment, [and] humiliation," among many others. The camera operator wanted the damages to be high enough that it would force the studio to ensure safety on set in the future. As of this writing, Ackles has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. 

In a June 3, 2023, post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he announced the cancellation of "The Winchesters" and thanked the fans and everyone involved in making the show. Ackles also expressed his genuine pride in the final product, notably also pointing out, "But as they say [...] timing is everything. With a massive Network shift coupled with an industry strike [...] that's some unfortunate timing."