Gerard Butler, known for his action-packed roles, has recently opened up about the extensive injuries he suffered during filming, particularly during his latest project, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. Given the physical demands of action films, Butler's experiences highlight not only the perils actors face but also their determination and resilience.
Butler's ordeal began when he faced multiple health issues before starting Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, including intense surgery followed by a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). "This was a weird time for me at the beginning of this movie because I’d been through a pretty intense surgery, and then I tore my ACL fully about a month later and then started this movie," Butler shared with Entertainment Weekly. Despite being partially incapacitated, he continued to film. "I didn’t have a chance to get the surgery on my ACL, so I made this movie with a freshly torn ACL," he recalled, adding, “It was a nightmare and I was a whiny little bitch.”
His co-star, O'Shea Jackson Jr, chimed in, noting the challenges posed by the script. “Oh my God, there were so many stairs in this movie too!” Butler agreed, laughing, “I’m like, ‘Really, we have to set this whole movie on a hill?’ So it was intense, but it definitely made the action scenes… I had to do less acting.” The sheer number of stairs only added to the physical strain on Butler’s already injured leg.
Butler's experience with injuries is not new. Throughout his career, he has survived numerous dangerous incidents on set. While filming 300, he witnessed alarming accidents, with cast members frequently requiring medical attention. "I remembered every day somebody was getting taken to the hospital," he recounted. “You'd be doing a fight, you turn around, there’s a guy down there, a spear went in his eye. Another time, you turn around, there’s a guy over there who just fell, broke his ankle. I mean, it was insane.”
Butler's career has been punctuated by paths of recovery, with over seven surgeries under his belt after sustaining injuries from various stunts. One accident, occurring during the filming of Chasing Mavericks, nearly ended his life when he was dragged underwater by intense waves. “I thought I was done. They had to take me out, take me to hospital, put me out, give me the defibrillator. I mean, it was intense,” Butler recalled.
Another challenging experience came during filming with Pierce Brosnan on set for the movie Butterfly on a Wheel, where Butler’s neck was severely injured during a car smash stunt. He elaborated, “We hit a wall on a rooftop, three-foot-high wall, full speed, in a Range Rover. It destroyed my neck, and it was after 300. I was already so beaten up.” The physical toll was compounded by filming conditions, as Butler has also faced hypothermia shooting scenes in the icy waters off Iceland and heat exhaustion from the sweltering temperatures in Montreal.
Reflecting on his near-death experiences and injuries, Butler has maintained a sense of humor. He recounted moments where his actions unintentionally put co-stars at risk, including leaving Hilary Swank with lasting scars. “I’ve scarred Hilary Swank on the head… she has a scar. Almost shot Angelina Jolie in the face,” he admitted lightheartedly. “I was coming down, hanging upside down. I had to fire a gun, but I had no control over where this thing went.”
Despite the inherent dangers, Butler remains undeterred by the risks involved. He expresses love for the thrilling nature of action stunts, celebrating the adrenaline and excitement they bring. “It’s awesome. I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he concluded, embodying the counter-intuitive charm of risking life and limb for cinematic success as audiences eagerly await more performances from this resilient star.