Oscar Winner Rushed Into Surgery After Awards Ceremony

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Visual effects artist Eric Saindon, who won an Oscar on Sunday for his work on “Avatar: The Way of Water,” was rushed to a hospital during the ceremony after experiencing severe pain. It was later discovered that he had a rupture in his small intestine and underwent surgery as a result.

Saindon, 53, won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects alongside Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, and Daniel Barrett at the event held on Sunday, March 12. He served as a senior visual effects supervisor on the blockbuster motion picture from James Cameron.

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According to Saindon’s mother, Lila Saindon, her son had been experiencing “serious pains” throughout the day and visited a hospital before the ceremony.

Doctors initially speculated that Saindon could be dealing with appendicitis, and then kidney stones. Despite this, he was determined to attend the Oscars and, after being treated for pain, put his tuxedo on while still at the hospital before heading to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

After accepting his award at the show with his three colleagues, Saindon was transported back to the hospital via limousine. It was later discovered that he had a rupture in his small intestine, which required surgery.

A representative for the VFX production company Weta FX told Entertainment Tonight on Monday that Saindon is “doing okay and recovering as we speak,” but added that “a rupture is serious stuff.”

Saindon’s mother told the station that he was subsequently transferred to the intensive care unit of the hospital. He is expected to remain in the hospital for around a month before he can return to his home in New Zealand.

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This was Saindon’s first Oscar win. He was previously nominated for Best Achievement in Visual Effects twice (along with Letteri) for his work on 2012’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and 2013’s “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” The “Avatar” team prevailed over other nominees in the category from the films “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “The Batman,” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”