WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: The man involved in the tragic death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park at the weekend has been confirmed as William Chapman, who was a former child actor, as his mum wrote he was “passionate about acting” in an old blog post
The mum of a man who was mauled to death after entering a a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park spoke about her son’s child acting career in an old blog post. William Chapman was earlier named as the man who was killed after entering the tiger enclosure on Saturday (October 10).
It later emerged that the late young man was a former child actor, according to the BBC, and worked on shows the broadcaster and ITV. However, it has now emerged that Chapman also got to work on a huge Hollywood production starring Hugh Jackman, as revealed by his mum in post about his career.
Chapman’s mum said her son was “passionate about acting and drama” in a blog post back in 2014. She talked about his experiences as Alfie in ITV’s ‘May Contain Nuts’, which starred Harry Potter actress Shirley Henderson.
She then shared that Chapman, who is reported by some media as being aged 24-years-old, had also played an extra in Pan, the story of Peter Pan, that starred Jackman as Blackbeard.
About the experience, she wrote: “Once on set we were sheltering from the pirates under the ship’s floorboards and we had to be terrified! Our chief gets shot by Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman), so remember to look out for that scene if you watch the movie.
“After lunch we just did more tutoring then we went back on set for a retake of the earlier scene, but we were lucky enough to meet and say hi to Hugh Jackman! We gave him a high five, awesome right?”
Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm on October 10 when Chapman, who police said was visiting the park alone, entered the enclosure. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Chapman apparently filmed the moment he approached the animal, according to footage posted on an Instagram account that has since been deleted.
The short clip was filmed inside the tiger’s enclosure and the large animal can be seen lying on top of a wooden platform, a few metres in front of the camera.
Chapman, who is reportedly in his 20s, apparently filmed the moment he approached the animal, according to footage posted on an Instagram account that has since been deleted.
The short clip was filmed inside the tiger’s enclosure and the large animal can be seen lying on top of a wooden platform, a few metres in front of the camera.
In another clip, it appears to show the voice of Chapman asking people to take a photo of him with the tiger just minutes before the incident took place.
In a previous statement on social media, the wildlife park said “many, many people” had contacted them about Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident, and it confirmed he is “safe and well” and will not be euthanised.
It added that members of park staff were “deeply affected” by the incident and receiving specialist support.
The park has reamined closed ever since the incident and it not expected to reopen tomorrow (October 14)