5 Actors Not Shy To Do Their Own Stunts

The last 12 months have been huge for action blockbuster movies. We had new additions to popular franchises – The Equalizer 3, John Wick: Chapter 4 and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning to name a few. Action movies are only what they are thanks to the dedicated stunt teams that help bring nail-biting scenes together. 

Some actors are so dedicated to their craft that they perform these death-defying stunts themselves, and help bring the authentic action to life. Let’s take a look at some of the star power who possess just enough of the crazy to not only take on some of these wild manoeuvres, but also convincingly pull them off.

Tom Cruise

As the most well known actor renowned for doing his own stunts, it would be wrong not to have Tom Cruise at the top of this list. He can be credited with carrying out some of the most insane stunts in action movie history, and in doing so has cemented himself as an action superstar. Some of his notable roles include Top Gun, Mission: Impossible and Edge of Tomorrow.

One stunt that particularly stands out is from Mission: Impossible – Rouge Nation where Cruise hangs from the side of a plane while it takes off. This scene took eight takes to get it right. With this kind of fearlessness (and more than a little bit of craziness thrown in) Cruise has done more than enough to earn his reputation.

Keannu Reeves

Keanu Reeves, known for being one of the nicest people that ever existed, is another star who is dedicated to performing his own stunts. Keanu has been doing all kinds of crazy stunt work, dating all the way back to The Matrix (1999) and beyond, ranging from leaping off buildings, to insane sword fights.

The John Wick Franchise is the best example of this range of stunts, with some of his most impressive work in the driving scenes. These scenes with the car spiralling and drifting all over the place were mostly done by Reeves himself. The ability to convincingly bring all this tire-squealing action to our screens is the product of rigorous training.

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan would have to be one of the original pioneers of the actor-stuntman role. Though he might not be performing them much anymore, Chan quickly established his status within the film industry due to his commitment to the stunt work.

In Police Story (1985) there is a scene where Chan’s character slides down a pole and through a glass ceiling, and this was all done by the man himself. Though this stunt sits alongside the many other innovative stunts he has performed, it’s nevertheless a perfect example of the how he and these other stars put their bodies on the line. Chan didn’t walk away from this one unscathed, seriously injuring his hands in the act.

Charlize Theron

It’s no surprise that the extremely talented Charlize Theron would give everything to her roles. That’s the only way you win an Oscar. It’s also no surprise then, that due to this dedication she would perform some of her own stunt work in the many action roles she has taken on. These include Mad Max: Fury Road, The Old Guard and Atomic Blonde.

Theron herself has a list of injuries from this dedication to her craft, among them tearing a ligament in her thumb, as well as breaking some teeth. As seen in this scene from Atomic Blonde it is no wonder they don’t walk away uninjured amore often, because even with the hardcore training, accidents can can still happen with such powerful combat.

Jason Statham

Jason Statham is one of the top action stars of the moment, and another actor who is brave enough to carry out his own stunt work. Statham has done a wide array of stunt work, from driving, fighting, and hanging off buildings very, very high off the ground. Not surprisingly he is known for his roles in over-the-top action movies such as Crank, The Transporter, The Mechanic and The Expendables.

Earning a place among the stars of The Expendables is the unofficial title of being among the greatest action stars in history. Impressively holding his own alongside the biggest, meanest action stars out there, including such names as Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.