Mind-Bending Facts presents you: shocking movie stunts that almost ended actors’ lives!
You probably know that reality is the biggest fiction, and the things that happen in real life are sometimes more magical, marvelous, and incredible than in any movie you’ve ever seen.
The same thing goes when we talk about shocking movie stunts, because the things that happened while filming and making sure that the end result would look real and genuine are far more dangerous than what was actually presented.
Speaking of that, the public knows that stunts are the most impressive thing about playing in a movie, but they don’t know the massive efforts that go behind the camera. Some actors aren’t able to perform those impressive stunts themselves, so they have stunt doubles, but that’s not always the case.
There are some artists who took things to the next level and decided to try those impressive things themselves. Of course, these performances are choreographed with much attention and precision, and the staff is always prepared in case things go badly.
But hey, there are still cases in which actors have to go through shocking movie stunts without the crew being 100% prepared for those things. Are you curious to know more? Then keep reading, because today’s article is all about shocking movie stunts that almost ended our beloved actors’ lives!
1. Jackie Chan
I don’t know about you, but the first actor that comes to mind when I think about shocking movie stunts is Jackie Chan. The man is a genius and is so talented and funny that I still remember how I used to watch his movies with my eyes stuck on the TV, not being able to say a word. He made my years better, and when I was sad, he was the one that I was hoping to see on TV.
The actor is no stranger to shocking movie stunts, and there were many times when he had some broken bones. That’s dedication at its finest, but what not many people know is that when he performed in “Police Story”, he was on the verge of losing his life.
The staff didn’t have the proper tools to secure the actor and make sure that the stunts were always safe, and that had a major impact on Mr. Chan’s body, with his hands burned and his pelvis and back broken.
The entire thing happened during a scene in which Jackie Chan had to jump to a pole and then slide down, but there were many lights surrounding the rod, which made the metal pole heat up. As you can guess, that caused second-degree burns on the actor’s palms, but he didn’t break character, and he even went to another shoot for a different movie.
2. Linda Blair
Have you ever watched “The Exorcist”? You might not know that, but Linda Blair suffered a back injury while filming one of her shocking movie stunts. While she was working on the dark movie we previously mentioned and giving life to the possessed character Regan MacNeil, she was hurt.
The beautiful actress was filming a scene where Regan was propelled back and forth by a dangerous spirit that was inside her, and the actress was held by a rope to the bed. But something bad occurred and the crew didn’t have time to notice what happened to her.
The staff didn’t see that the rigged harness lacing was loose and almost falling off, and the actress’s body was flung. The shocking movie stunt caused her a fracture in her lower spine, and the actual awkward and dangerous thing that happened while filming can be seen in the movie. If you want to watch “The Exorcist” just to see this scene, be careful because it might shock you!
3. David Holmes
While some actors are confident in their own talent when it comes to shocking movie stunts, others prefer to stay away from these impressive performances and let the pros do them. And yes, that means that their stunt doubles are the ones who’re going to suffer.
That happened during one of the “Harry Potter” movies, when David Holmes, who was Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double, was the victim of an accident on set. The tragic thing happened while they were filming for “Deathly Hallows: Part 1,” and the shocking movie stunt they were filming required Holmes to be in the air and then be pulled back from an explosion.
Even though at first it seemed like the stunt went exactly as they wanted, David Holmes was pulled so far back from the blast that he dangerously hit a wall and quickly fell to the crash mat that was below him.
And here’s the worst thing that happened: the blow to his back gave him a terrible fracture in his spine, and he ended up being paralyzed from the chest down, meaning no shocking movie stunts ever again.
4. Isla Fisher
Here’s another shocking movie stunt that almost killed one of the most appreciated stars in Hollywood. This story involves actress Isla Fisher and the crime thriller she starred in, called “Now You See Me”.
She was performing a magic trick where she was in a tank of water, handcuffed and chained to the bottom, and she had to escape in a specific amount of time; otherwise, a bunch of flesh-eating piranhas were dropped in.
If you watch the scene, you’ll think that Isla Fisher put a lot of effort into it, making you believe that she indeed struggled to escape. At least, this is what the director and the other members of the cast thought at first.
What actually happened was that the chain that was wrapped around her ankles got stuck under a slat near the bottom, keeping her from reaching the top. She tried to show the crew that she couldn’t escape and that she was almost drowning, but the staff thought that she was a wonderful actress. The actress had a panic button, but she was stuck, and it was impossible for her to reach it.
The good news is that Isla Fisher managed to get out on her own before it was too late. If you watch the movie, you’ll be impressed by her performance, but we can only say that we’re happy she got out and that she’s good now.
This movie is a work of art, so if you want to watch it, you can do it by streaming it on Amazon. Click here for more, because it’s of high quality and you won’t be interrupted by any commercials!
5. Tom Cruise
Are you ready to read more about the last shocking movie stunt on our list? It’s all about an incident that caused a lot of harm to one of the most handsome actors in Hollywood, Tom Cruise.
Fans know that their beloved actor doesn’t shy away from impressing the audience with his shocking movie stunts, but he didn’t take into consideration the fact that things might not go according to plan. For instance, during filming for “Fallout”, Tom Cruise did something wrong during a stunt that caused him to break an ankle.
The mishap happened during a chase scene where the actor had to run and then jump across rooftops after his colleague, Henry Cavill. Even though the actor had a weird sense of safety, especially in case of a potential fall, he made a wrong move into the edge of one of the rooftops and landed against the wall by stepping wrongly with his foot.
Even though he felt an incredible amount of pain, he continued the filming scene, which can only make us say that he’s indeed passionate about his career.
What do you think about these shocking movie stunts? Have you watched any of these movies? If yes, leave a comment down below and let us know what you’ve thought about these shocking movie stunts, because they surely required a lot of effort.
Until next time, here’s another article that you’ll definitely enjoy reading: The 12 Zodiac Sign Facts Nobody Told You Before!
