Mia McKenna-Bruce, the Bafta-winning actress known for her role in the Netflix adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery, recently shared details of an on-set mishap that forced her to rely on family support during production.
On-Set Injury Disrupts Filming
At 28 years old, McKenna-Bruce portrayed the lead character, Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent, in the series featuring a stellar cast including Martin Freeman, Helena Bonham Carter, and Nabhaan Rizwan. The role demands high energy, with Bundle navigating action-packed sequences like jumping, diving, and running to solve the murder of her lover, Gerry, played by Corey Mylchreest.
During filming, McKenna-Bruce suffered a broken foot in what she described as ‘usual Mia chaos fashion—I broke my foot tripping over thin air mid-scene,’ with six weeks of demanding action scenes still ahead. To continue production smoothly, she enlisted her sister, Ellis, who bears a striking resemblance to her, as a body double.
‘We needed a superhero to save the day. And as if by magic, I have a little sister who looks like my twin. Ellis literally saved the show, stepping in to become my body double, and we had an absolute blast while doing it,’ McKenna-Bruce wrote in an Instagram caption alongside photos of the sisters in matching costumes, Ellis preparing for scenes, and McKenna-Bruce’s booted foot resting on her sister’s lap.
Ellis commented on the post: ‘Best time ever!!!! Would do it all over again.’
History of Set Injuries
This incident marks the second time McKenna-Bruce has dealt with a broken bone during a project. While working on the 2022 Peacock series Vampire Academy, she broke her ankle off-set but continued filming for four months with a cast, portraying Mia Karp.
Reflecting on the challenges, she noted: ‘[Mia] is American first of all. So, doing an American accent always adds more of a challenge. I also broke my ankle during the shoot (not actually on set) which made things a lot harder as I had to film for 4 months unable to walk and with a cast on my leg!!’
Connection to the Character and Co-Stars
Despite the injury, McKenna-Bruce enjoyed embodying Bundle, drawn to the character’s warmth and empathy. ‘For me [Bundle’s] love of people, her ability to connect with each person and [for them to] really mean something to her [connected with me],’ she explained.
Working alongside Helena Bonham Carter, who played her on-screen mother, proved inspiring. McKenna-Bruce absorbed valuable lessons, describing Carter as ‘a master class in all things, as a human, as an actor.’ She highlighted one practical tip: maintaining energy with snacks. ‘One of the main things that I’ve taken away is that she has an energy basket of snacks to make sure she’s got her energy up at all times. She has the best snacks on the go, and we all took them and ran with them and made our own little snack basket. Everywhere I go, I need my snacks.’
Seven Dials Mystery is now available to stream on Netflix.
