Following the well-documented runaway boulder incident at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular some months ago, the Disney cast member who absorbed the impact to keep guests and other crew safe has returned to the stage.

Welcome Back, Robert!

A veteran Disney stunt performer has returned to work at Disney’s Hollywood Studios after being injured during a viral incident at Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Robert Herrick, a longtime performer in the live stunt show, was injured after a 400-pound boulder prop went off its intended path during a performance at the end of December 2025.

Video of the incident spread online, showing Herrick reacting quickly as the large prop moved toward the audience area. Herrick stepped into the path of the runaway boulder to keep it from reaching guests.

Several angles of the incident were shared online at the time, though this video from Reddit user the_busta_25 had the closest, clearest angle on the boulder’s impact.

Herrick, who has more than three decades of experience, sustained serious injuries in the incident, including vertebral fractures. He was later seen wearing a neck brace, but has downplayed the “hero” label that many viewers and fellow cast members gave him after the malfunction. Herrick has instead credited his response to experience, timing, and a focus on guest safety.

Now, just about 5 months later, Herrick has returned to the show this week and was back onstage Friday. Fellow cast members marked the occasion with signs welcoming him back, including one that read, “Welcome back Robert! The boulder didn’t stop you.”

As reported by Orlando’s WFTV, Herrick has described the show as a second home and has said he missed both his fellow performers and the audience during his recovery.

The boulder prop involved in the incident has not yet returned to the show. The sequence remains modified while adjustments continue following the malfunction. It is unclear if or when it will ever return.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular has long been a staple of Disney’s Hollywood Studios (in fact, it’s the oldest offering in the park now), giving guests a behind-the-scenes look at action sequences inspired by the Lucasfilm adventure franchise. The show features explosions, fight choreography, vehicle stunts, and the well-known rolling boulder moment from the film.

You can check out a POV of the full show, including the boulder stunt, from WDWNT POV linked below:

Were you in the audience to see either Herrick’s heroic feat or his return to the performance? Tell us more about it on social media!

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