The Most Dangerous Job on the Planet: Stunt Performers

From A-list actors to their stunt doubles, the job of a film actor can be one of the most dangerous on the planet. Performing stunts with no guarantee of safety, these performers risk their lives for our entertainment. 

In a moment of passion and intensity, DiCaprio slammed his hand down on a glass table, slicing it open. But like a trooper, he acted through the pain, and the scene even made it into the final film, with his bloody hand and all! 

For Sylvester Stallone, no scene in Rocky IV was too tough to shoot. The legendary star was determined to make the movie as realistic as possible, even if it meant taking the occasional punch to the face! 

In the thrilling movie Now You See Me, Isla Fisher had an unforgettable performance as she was “trapped” in a water tank. Unbeknownst to the crew, however, she was actually in great peril – as she had become entangled in a chain inside the trick box. 

Jackie Chan is renowned for his nail-biting stunts in his action-packed movies, but even he couldn’t escape his own close call. During the shooting of Police Story, Chan attempted a daring jump off a rooftop and slid down a pole. 

Olivia Jackson has worked on some of the biggest blockbusters, like Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars: A Force Awakens, but it was while filming Resident Evil that her life changed forever. During a stunt, Jackson crashed her motorcycle into a crane-mounted camera and suffered a spine injury.

Stuntman Laird Hamilton put on an impressive display of tricks on a jet ski for Waterworld, but his adventure took a dramatic turn when his vehicle ran out of gas and left him stranded in the middle of the ocean. 

Jeremy Fitzgerald’s commitment to his craft is truly remarkable. When it came to performing a daring action scene in The Avengers, the stuntman had to take a 30-foot fall with a jagged rain gutter looming below, one wrong move could have been deadly.

When stuntman Terry Leonard and Vince Deadrick Jr. were tasked to film a daring scene for a Romancing the Stone sequence, they were ready for the challenge. They were to jump away from the car and the whirlpool below. 

Aris Comninos’ harrowing experience on the set of a Bond movie will stay with him forever. During an intense car chase scene, Comninos’ car collided with another, breaking through a guard wall and dangling precariously over a 50-foot drop. 

Jennifer Lawrence had a close call while filming The Hunger Games. While on set a smoke machine malfunctioned, and Lawrence ended up nearly suffocating! Thankfully, she managed to get out of this dangerous situation unharmed, but it serves as a reminder that even the most innocuous of props can be hazardous. 

Lisa McCullough is an amazing stunt performer who put her fears aside to take part in a daring hoverboard chase. She and her team were tasked with chasing down Michael J. Fox’s character and ultimately crashing into a clock tower. 

Having no fear of performing his own stunts in the movie, Michael J. Fox took on a terrifying task for “Back to the Future Part III” – one that almost cost him his life! The scene involved Fox being hanged, but when a rope malfunction put him in real danger of suffocating, the director had to intervene in the nick of time. 

When Halle Berry starred as a Bond girl in Pierce Brosnan’s Die Another Day, she almost had a brush with death! While filming a romantic scene, Berry choked on a piece of fruit – luckily, Brosnan was there to save the day with a swift Heimlich maneuver. 

Uma Thurman had a miraculous escape when Pierce Brosnan saved her from a near-fatal accident on the set of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief! While Uma was filming, a van parked behind her began to roll downhill, threatening to crush her. 

Gerard Butler isn’t one to shy away from danger, even when it comes in the form of a 20-foot wave! While shooting for the movie Chasing Mavericks, the actor was knocked down and nearly drowned by the choppy water. 

Bob Denver, who played the titular role of Gilligan on the popular show Gilligan’s Island, had a close call on set. In a scene featuring a lion, the animal lunged to attack the actor. However, the animal’s trainer managed to tackle it in mid-air, saving Denver from a potentially life-threatening situation. 

On the set of Inglorious Basterds, nobody expected the shocking turn of events that occurred when Director Quentin Tarantino stepped in to film a scene with Diane Kruger and Christoph Waltz. As Kruger was supposed to be choked by Waltz’s character, Tarantino took the opportunity to do the honors himself – but he went a bit too far. .

Aaron Paul had a close call on the set of Breaking Bad. While filming, the actor had to make a split second decision that possibly saved his life. He had been standing directly beneath a prominent boulder, but felt uneasy and asked to move. 

Dylan O’Brien, the lead actor and stuntman in the movie Maze Runner: The Death Cure, attempted a daring stunt involving jumping from one vehicle to another. Unfortunately, the stunt didn’t go as planned and the star ended up being dragged underneath the first vehicle, enduring multiple fractures to his cheekbones, orbital sockets, and a concussion. 

Matthew Fox experienced a close call while shooting the hit TV show Lost. During a scene where he was supposed to get stabbed with a fake, collapsible knife, the prop department had mistakenly used a real one. 

Gabriela Cedillo wasn’t a stunt double, but in fact an extra for a scene in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. She was asked to drive her car down the highway with the stunt performers weaving in and out of traffic. Unfortunately, the stunt went terribly wrong when a cable snapped and smashed her windshield. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s bike-riding stunt in Premium Rush was no child’s play! In the movie, he played a daredevil bicycle messenger who zipped through the busy streets of New York City, a dangerous task for any individual. 

When Charlize Theron was filming the sci-fi movie Æon Flux, she had a truly terrifying accident. During a stunt, she fell and landed right on her neck, leaving her in the hospital for eight weeks. 

Scott McLean took on a daring role in The Hangover Part II, performing as the double for Ed Helms’ character. However, what was meant to be a thrilling stunt quickly turned dangerous when the stunt driver mistakenly hit another vehicle. 

Larry Rippenkroeger had a brush with death when he went over a fire escape, plummeting 25 feet before hitting the pavement. He sustained many injuries including, broken bones in his face, fractured wrists, and broken ribs – a horrific accident that resulted in a temporary production shut down. 

Ben Affleck’s much-discussed back tattoo pictured while filming Triple Frontier may not have won over Jennifer Lopez, but his stunt double certainly did! Affleck recently posted a selfie with Rich Cetrone on Instagram, captioning it “Grateful to work with such incredible people”. 

Bobby Hanton is no ordinary stunt double – he has to work out twice as hard as the average person to keep up with one of the most physically fit actors in Hollywood. For Hanton, it’s not just about getting into shape – it’s also about eating eight meals a day to maintain the same physique as Thor’s leading actor, Chris Hemsworth.

Everyone’s favorite HBO dramedy, Girls, is no stranger to the need for stunt doubles. Lena Dunham, the show’s leading lady, relies on her trusty stunt double, Dakota Brown, to step in and save the day. 

Casey Michaels and Kata Mara made the perfect pair while working on the movie Morgan. Michaels, a stunt double, was full of praise for Mara, calling her an “extraordinary human” and a “true ninja” for her dedication to fight training and rehearsals. 

Dan Euston, the stunt double for one of the Game of Thrones biggest stars Kit Harington, had an incredible experience taking part in the epic series. From cold nights in Winterfell to eating donuts in King’s Landing, Dan was proud to have been a part of this iconic series. 

Hasit Savani had nothing but praise for the star of the live-action adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin, Mena Massoud. Taking to Instagram, the stunt double shared a picture of himself and Massoud with a heartfelt caption. “My brother from another mother… (and father). An absolute gentleman and a pleasure to work with, ”. 

Megan Le has forged a special bond with Hollywood star Cobie Smulders, sharing her appreciation for the actress in an Instagram post. Le praised Smulders for showing that mothers can thrive in the entertainment industry, and for providing her with a source of motivation to unlock her own strength and authenticity. 

Nick Loren and John Travolta came together in Atlanta to shoot the 2013 thriller Killing Season, and their collaboration was nothing short of remarkable. From their intense expressions to their matching outfits. 

Heidi Moneymaker is the hidden hero of Marvel’s ever-growing cinematic universe. Since 2010, she has been the stunt double behind Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, performing her most death-defying stunts. 

Heidi and Renae Moneymaker are two sisters making waves in the stunt work industry. The talented duo have worked together on blockbuster movies such as Avengers: Infinity War and Captain Marvel. 

If you want to look like a star, then look no further than the likes of Bruce Willis! He’s the classic, iconic action hero of Hollywood. All you need is a buzz cut, a casual shirt, some shades, a fierce attitude and you’re ready to go! 

When Dan Mast, stunt double for Mark Wahlberg in Transformers: Age of Extinction, accepted the challenge of following Wahlberg’s intense fitness regime everyone was amazed. The stuntman shared the rigorous training routine, and it is clear to see that it was no small feat!

For more than 10 years, Monica Braunger Hudson has been standing in for Zooey Deschanel in her roles. Now, the New Girl star is asking her fans to help her stunt double in this time of need. On her social media accounts, Deschanel revealed that Braunger Hudson and her husband are having financial difficulties due to his diagnosis of a nervous system disease. 

From the moment they met, Jared Padalecki and Michael Carpenter had an instant connection. Padalecki and Carpenter, hist stunt double of the long-running sci-fi drama Supernatural, had developed a close friendship over the past 15 years. 

Ellie Kemper captions her on-set snap “Triple-threat Monday” and it is easy to see why! The actress is sandwiched between two carbon copies of her fierce and go-getting character from the Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. 

Lily Rabe has been the true MVP of the Ryan Murphy anthology American Horror Story. Her talent is even admired by her stunt double, Kimberly Shannon Murphy. On Instagram, Kimberly shared an amazing picture of the pair dressed in nun habits with the caption, “One of my favorite humans.”