She also revealed how her hair extensions saved her life.
Kristin Chenoweth is opening up about her regrets on not taking legal action when she was injured on the set of “The Good Wife” back in 2012.
During an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” on Monday, the 54-year-old Tony Award-winning actress recalled the harrowing incident that landed her in the hospital while she was filming the CBS drama series.
Chenoweth was hit by a piece of lighting equipment on-set and eventually left the show due to the extent of her injuries.
Kristin Chenoweth says she regrets not pursuing legal action against CBS for her injury on The Good Wife set: “I didn’t do it out of fear & anxiety, so don’t ever let fear ruin your life.” @KChenoweth #WWHL pic.twitter.com/efVTVVwUco
— WWHL (@BravoWWHL) January 17, 2023
@BravoWWHL
“I heard, like, a flagpole sound. I literally heard, ‘We’re losing the light.’ I heard, ‘Action.’ And I woke up at Bellevue [Hospital],” she said, retelling the chain of events. “It hit me in the face and it threw me into a curb. Seven-inch skull fracture, hairline [fracture], and teeth and ribs.”
Looking back, the “Wicked” alum expressed her regrets over her decision not to sue the network at the time.
“I didn’t do it out of fear and anxiety, so don’t ever let fear rule your life. I have long-standing injuries from that,” Chenoweth confessed. “I wished I had listened to my dad, who said, ‘You’re gonna wanna do this.’ And we’re not the suing family, but when you’re practically killed…”
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The Emmy Award winner also revealed what unexpectedly saved her life that day.
“My hair extensions, you know, made the hairline fracture go together,” she continued. “My doctor said, ‘What are these metal things?’ And I said, ‘They’re hair extensions.’ And he said, ‘They saved your life.’ So, anyone who wants to get hair extensions should, for your health.”
This isn’t the first time Chenoweth has got candid about the traumatic experience. She previously discussed her accident in a 2022 collection of essays titled “106 Women on Fighting for Themselves.”
“I’m telling my story about what happened, and I really don’t care if CBS never hires me again. They knew I was hurt really badly, but they exploited the power they held over a person like me. I’m a working actor — keyword working,” she wrote. “Unfortunately, the powers that be at CBS at the time did not take responsibility for what happened to me, but there’s a new regime at the network and they’re just lovely to work with. Leadership matters. Full stop.”
At the time of the accident, CBS said “a gust of wind blew a lighting silk out of place” and struck the actress. “All of us at the studio and the show are thinking about Kristin and wishing her a quick recovery,” they added.
