Summary
Acting is an incredibly challenging job that requires actors to give and do a lot, butsome actors take things even further by doing their own stunts.It takes a huge amount to make a movie, with most of the work that goes into the project never actually being seen in the finished product. From costume designers to cameramen, and from the sound department to the special effects, there is a lot that happens behind the scenes. However, one important aspect that is intended to be on-screen, but carefully constructed to hide key details, is the stunt team.
Actors typically put a lot of themselves into their performance, but where the line tends to be drawn is when it risks affecting their health or safety. That’s where stunt teams come in. When an actor performing a dangerous scene could result in injury, or if the scene requires intense action like fighting or acrobatics that the actor is not able to perform, movies use stunt actors to fill in and make the actor look good. However,there are some actors in Hollywood who choose to do either all, or the vast majority of their own stunts.
15Tom Cruise
The A-Lister Most Famous For Doing His Own Stunts
Tom Cruise is one of the most notable namesin acting who chooses to do his own stunts. Having grown in popularity at breakneck speed, he quickly became an action star in the 1980s. The following decade, he began starring in a series of action films calledMission: Impossible.
However, from his first action role in 1986’sTop Gun, he chose to take risks and try his hand at doing his own stunts. That choice almost cost his life when he nearly drowned on set (viaTHR), butthat hasn’t stopped him from continuing to do many of his own stunts to this day.
14Jackie Chan
Possibly The Greatest Martial Artist And Action Movie Star Ever
Jackie Chan’s career as an actor began when he was just 5 years old, appearing in minor roles in Chinese films. As he grew, he continued towork in TV and films, and did so consistently throughout his life. In 1972, he was working as a stunt double for the villain in a Bruce Lee movie,Fist of Fury, and just over 10 years later, he hadestablished his own stunt company to choreograph and assist with other films.
His charisma and charm, however, meant that he was soon performing in leading roles, while also doing the stunt work for most of his films. This includesfilm franchises likePolice StoryandDrunken Master,and movies likeShanghai Noon.
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13Charlize Theron
Delivers Compelling Authenticity In Either Dramatic Or Action Scenes
Charlize Theron began her acting career with minor roles in offbeat horror films, but she quickly gained critical acclaim for her talent when her breakout role in 1997’sThe Devil’s Advocatewas released two years into her acting journey. Since then,Theron has appeared in numerous films in a variety of roles.
However, it wasn’t until many years later that she began to take an active interest in working in action movies. Then, progressing from acting to also doing her own stunts, as she did in2017’sAtomic Blondeand 2020sThe Old Guard.
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12Keanu Reeves
His Stunts And Movies Helped Shape Contemporary Sci-Fi And Action
Theron was actually inspired by her good friend, Keanu Reeves, who was another action star who had built a reputation for doing many of his own stunts (via/Film).Reeves had been appearing in action roles for decades.
Reeves has performed the majority of his own stunts in many of his films, includingThe MatrixandJohn Wick. Despite his advancing age, and being almost 60 years oldwhile filmingJohn Wick Chapter 4, Reeves continues to do his own stunts.
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11Angelina Jolie
Loves Doing Stunts That Even Doubles Refuse To Do
Angelina Jolie got into acting through her father when she was a child, but when she returned to acting as an adult, she began appearing in action films early in her career.In 2001, she played Lara Croft in theTomb Raidermovie, where she opted to do many of her own stunts.
This then continued throughout her career with all of her other projects. Jolie has even opted to do stunts where doubles refused (viaThe Things), which was the case during the filming ofTomb Raider.She carried this attitude even in her morerecent movies like 2021’sThose Who Wish Me Dead.
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10Jason Statham
Has Performed His Own Stunts Throughout His Entire Career
Jason Statham is another actor who started his career in another professional athletic capacity before transitioning to acting. Statham was originally an elite diver, which meant he was extremely physically fit. This came in handy whenStatham performed his own stunts in franchises likeThe Expendables, Crank,andThe Meg.
This allowed him to easily shift into physically demanding roles with plenty of action, and certainly benefited big projects later in his career. Now,Statham is one of the top action heroes in film today.
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9Daniel Craig
Continued The Tradition Of James Bond Actors Doing Many Of Their Own Stunts
Daniel had a healthy career in film and TV before he was cast in the role of James Bond, but from that point onward, there wasa notable shift toward more action-heavy roles.Craig got into peak shape and pushed his body to the limits of performing as Bond, and it resulted in the actor racking up a long list of injuries (viaEsquire).
Whether he will continue to push himself after retiring from playing Bond largely remains to be seen,but there doesn’t appear to be any obvious reasons why the actor would slow down.
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8Christian Bale
Doing His Own Stunts Is Just Part Of His Extreme Dedication To Any Role
Christian Bale has built up a reputationas an actor who tests the limits of what is possible. For various roles, he has gained and lost incredible volumes of weight,resulting in visually stunning appearances, both horrifying and awe-inspiring.
However, the actor also pushes the limits with stunt work. Notably, during his performance inThe Dark Knighttrilogy, Bale was keen to perform many of his own stunts,resulting in several death-defying experiences.
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7Harrison Ford
Did Many Of His Own Stunts And Ushered In The Modern Blockbuster Era
Harrison Ford was one of the original action heroes. Quickly collectingroles as action heroes such as Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard and Han Solo to name a few, Ford established a reputation as a rough and ready hero who was never afraid to leap into danger.
Just like his on-screen counterparts, Ford leaped into action and opted to perform many of his own stunts. This then continued throughout his career, leading to him becomingthe oldest actor to do his own stunts while in his 80s and filming the latestIndiana Jonesmovie(viaCollider).
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6Tom Holland
The Definitive Live-Action Version Of Spider-Man
Tom Holland has had a colorful career that began in British theater, where he sang, danced and performed in numerous West End shows, but most notably,Billy Elliot. Tom also refined other skills, such as gymnastics and acrobatics, which served him well in his career and played a part in himlanding the role of Spider-Man in the MCU due to the fact that he was able to perform many of the same jumps, spins, flips and rolls that the character can.
As a result, he has continued to apply these talents in his work, performing many of his own stunts. Hisdedication to being an action star is also in full display onUncharted.
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