Having player around with that size empty barrels in the army (and one or two we had at home since I was a kid in our outbuilding sauna for kids to bathe in), I’m not really that worried for a bloke Dorne’s size, except for that lid.

The barrel itself is rather bouncy because of how big it is. As long as the bottom or the lid doesn’t fall directly on your head, you should be fine, and if the barrel is actually sideways completely and you hit the large center part, it’s just like a slight push. Might topple a smaller, unprepared dude, but not people Dorne’s size. The fact that he has to somewhat awkwardly fall on purpose after that (because the empty barrel was acting the role of a very heavy full barrel) is what has made it a meme, imo. As in, the barrel clearly didn’t do jack shit and he has to fall down himself.

Well that’s my memory of it. So I rewatched it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBG1dW17Mas

It actually could just as well be a stunt, as we don’t even see the actors front when the barrel actually hits. But it’s dropped from just above the cameraline and falls squarely with the flat side to the largest part of Worf’s (Michael or stunt) back.

Now I accept I can be wrong and I don’t know how it was actually done but I assume at most a small padding on the back should suffice. Because on that cut Worf is crouching the camera is slightly more zoomed in (not even noticeably). If the barrels dropped from as high and as long as it’s made to appear to, sure. But it’s just out of the camera line.

I don’t know, I’d like to do it myself and find out. I’d like to be a nameless stunt on some productions. I know how to take a fall really well and don’t really care for personal injuries anymore as long as they don’t stop me going. I think as a pretty average sized 183 /6ft dude I might be able to replace the generic whiteman hero type as long as I’m not facing the camera. Maybe even then from a bit further.

And yes I’m saying this all sober.