5 actors who nearly died during filming
Although we enjoy the films Hollywood creates for us, sometimes we overlook the amount of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into making them. These stories will show you just how tough being an actor can be.
1. Tom Hanks
During filming of Cast Away, Tom’s body was put to the test after having to lose 50 pounds to accurately play his character. Tom suffered a leg cut that swelled for two weeks and when he went to the hospital, they told him it was a life-threatening staph infection.
2. George Clooney
One of our all-time favourites actors, George was filming a torture scene for Syriana in 2005 when he was hurt and suffered a back injury. He was in excruciating pain but the doctors were unable to diagnose what was wrong. Lisa Kudrow’s brother, a neurologist, found out that he was leaking spinal fluid. He then received proper treatment. The pain was so bad that the actor contemplated suicide.
3. Sylvester Stallone
We know Sylvester is an actor whose films require him to push his body to the limits. Sylvester broke multiple ribs in a stunt for The Expendable film. In Rocky IV, Sylvester insisted that Dolph Lundgren should actually spar with him. Lundgren hit him with such force that Stallone’s heart swelled and he had to have a hospital stay.
4. Jackie Chan
Jackie performs his own stunts and therefore has endured countless injuries including broken bones, torn ligaments and damaging his spine. While filming Armour of God II, he performed a stunt that required him to jump from a slope into a tree. However, he missed and fell into the ground and had to have brain surgery. The incident sent a piece of skull into his brain and he still has a metal plate in his head because of it.
5. Michael J. Fox
When Michael was in Back to the Future Part III, a stunt required him to be hanged by Mad Dog Tannen. In rehearsals, Michael would protect his throat but when they were filming he couldn’t do that. Michael lost consciousness during the scene until the crew realised that he wasn’t acting but was genuinely being suffocated.