Joseph Fiennes recalls devastating moment he held a fellow traveller as she died after being crushed by a horse in 'unexpected horrific accident' during holiday in Costa Rica
The Shakespeare in Love actor, 55, who is an avid rider, said the woman, whom he did not know, had recently got married, tragically fell from her steed and 'really broke her head' after hitting the ground in front of her new husband.
Joseph described holding her as she 'slipped away' in what he described as the 'unexpected horrific accident' that left him unable to sleep for a month.
Speaking on the Travel Secrets podcast, he said: 'I love horse riding and I got onto a horse early in the morning to go with a fellow traveller who was staying at the Haciena, who had just got married,'
'I remember getting on the horse, seeing this lovely woman kiss her husband goodbye, and then the horse reared up, and she sadly pulled on the reigns and the weight of the horse came over her and the whole horse landed on her and she fell back and really broke her head on the gravel and died'.
He went on: 'I held her for a while, her poor husband was in such shock, he couldn't comprehend or communicate, and she slipped away'.
The actor said the woman, whom he did not know, had recently got married tragically fell from steed and 'really broke her head' after hitting the ground in front of her new husband
Before adding: 'I couldn't sleep for, God I think, a month, I remember going back into the jungle at the foot of this volcano, and I was really shaken'.
Joseph will next be seen in TV adaption of award winning play Dear England, reprising his uncanny role playing England football manager Gareth Southgate.
Last week he was seen on set for the first time as filming got under way for the highly-anticipated four-part series, which will air next year.
Jospeh was spotted wearing an England training kit while recording scenes at top public school Harrow, which is being used for the squad's Staffordshire training ground, St George's Park.
He was joined by former Doctor Who star, Jodie Whittaker, who is playing the team's psychologist Pippa Grange.
The play shone a light on the pressures of penalties and Gareth's 'cultural reform' of the England men's national team in his six years as manager.
A synopsis for the play read: 'It's time to change the game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can't England's men win at their own game?
'With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.'
Joseph described holding her as she 'slipped away' in what he described as the 'unexpected horrific accident' that left him unable to sleep for a month
Gareth made 57 appearances for England as a player, but is arguably best remembered for missing a crucial penalty kick against Germany in the Euro 96 semi-final at Wembley.
He then went on to huge success managing the England men's national team from 2016, leading them to a World Cup semi-final in 2018 and the Euro 2020 final.
'Something has gone wrong in England and with England, something that will take more than a sticking plaster to fix,' says Southgate at the beginning of the play.
Speaking of the play previously Graham said it will focus on Gareth's 'epic and moving' 'cultural reform' of the England men's football team.
Writer James Graham, also who penned BBC One drama Sherwood, said: 'To tell this story of the national game on the stage of the National Theatre is just the greatest thrill, if an intimidating responsibility.
The experience of working on This House at the National Theatre 10 years ago changed my life as an emerging writer.
'Now, with Dear England, to be given the opportunity to shine a light on another public institution in the form of the England men's football team is, I know, an exciting opportunity.
'What Gareth Southgate has attempted in his quiet cultural reform of England football I find epic and deeply moving. And I'm so grateful to be surrounded by some of British theatre's most exciting creative talent to unite around this new show.'
Actor Joseph was nominated for an Olivier award. It returned to the National Theatre earlier this year before embarking on a national tour.
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