Almost Killed

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As a movie enthusiast who’s been part of several high-octane action films spanning two decades, I’ve got my fair share of thrilling tales to share. That’s why when I was asked to reminisce about the close calls I’ve had on set, it turned out there were some doozies! One such incident involved a car stunt that nearly “tore apart” the esteemed actor, Mr. Butler. Another time, during the filming of my second Tomb Raider movie, I came very close to having my face “blasted” by a bullet fired by none other than the talented Ms. Jolie herself.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve always marveled at the thrilling action sequences in movies, from the early days of silent cinema when daredevils like Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd were pushing the limits of safety for the sake of comedy, often risking severe injuries in an era before CGI effects were even a glimmer in Hollywood’s dreams.

Fast forward to modern times, and despite stringent safety measures being implemented, incidents of serious injury, and in some unfortunate cases, fatalities, have occurred when things didn’t go as planned. For instance, during the filming of Shattered with Pierce Brosnan, I, Butler, experienced a harrowing car crash stunt that took an unexpected turn. Reflecting on this ordeal in an interview with People, I shared my harrowing experience.

“I’ve been involved in car collisions with Pierce Brosnan, who unfortunately drove me headfirst into a wall. That’s James Bond we’re talking about here. The vehicle should have stopped when he applied the brakes, but instead, we crashed through a three-foot high wall on a rooftop at full speed in a Range Rover. This incident left my neck injured and I was already bruised from 300 before it happened.

Gerard Butler “Almost Killed” Angelina Jolie Filming ‘Tomb Raider’ Sequel

The actor from ‘Den of Thieves’ shared more tales about incidents that occurred during films he was part of, ranging from surfing accidents to unintentionally striking co-stars in the face. Notably, among these anecdotes, Butler’s close call involving Angelina Jolie while working on ‘Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life’ is especially memorable.

I nearly hit Angelina Jolie with a stray bullet while hanging upside-down; I lost control of my gun and it went off, luckily missing her by a hair’s breadth. It’s incredible to think that, in my line of work, I’ve been shot at, had shrapnel fly towards me, survived an explosion, and even had a camera rig fall on me. It’s a dangerous world out there!

It appears that Butler may have been discharging a gun loaded with blank rounds during that particular scene, though he didn’t explicitly mention it. However, the tension remains undiminished given recent events like the fatal shooting on Alec Baldwin’s Western film Rust, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins sadly lost her life.

To most people, certain boundaries should not be pushed when creating a film, and while Butler’s account of his Tomb Raider scene might seem risky, it is reasonable to think that safety measures were implemented during filming. However, Butler’s retelling may have added a touch of drama, but there are sequences that would likely be approached differently today, either using CGI or altering the script/shooting process entirely. Nevertheless, it seems that even with safety protocols in place, Hollywood can often be an environment fraught with danger for those involved in movie production.

Enthusiasts of Gerard Butler can watch him endure intense violence and get injured in his newest film, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera“, which is currently doing well at the box office and may likely lead to a third installment in the “Den of Thieves” series being approved by Lionsgate soon.

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2025-01-22 18:32