Hollywood is famous for pulling the wool over our eyes and making us believe the impossible, but in a number of cases, high profile actors have taken the reins and put their reputations – and necks! – on the line in order to achieve authenticity in the line of duty. Here are a few great examples who have put themselves in danger for our entertainment:
Jackie Chan
The legendary martial arts star is 58 years old, yet he can still be seen performing his own stunts on camera. In fact, most of his films feature gag reel style montage clips of all his amazing feats during filming. A personal favourite is ‘Rumble in the Bronx’ from 1997, which sees Jackie jumping from buses to cars and all kinds of hijinks that no one but a movie star or a stuntman would ever attempt. It also shows how dangerous the job is, with Jackie breaking his ankle on one take, only to get it bandaged up to do another take. Now that’s commitment!
It definitely gives authenticity to the films, and has just made Jackie Chan’s legend grow. His stunt team is now so popular that they train many stars up so that they can perform their own stunts on screen. It’s no wonder everyone loves Jackie Chan so much.
Steve McQueen
One of the ultimate kings of cool, Steve McQueen sadly passed away in 1980 but his legend has gone from strength to strength, with any new actor with a dark and mysterious way about them being referred to as ‘the new McQueen’. It’s quite an accolade, and one that has been used on the likes of Daniel Craig and Ryan Gosling. But there’s nothing quite like the real thing.
McQueen’s heroic escape from the Nazi’s in 1963’s The Great Escape fails spectacularly, but not before some of the most incredible motorcycle stunts performed on camera happen first. What is even more incredible is that McQueen – an accomplished car and motorcycle driver in his own right – performed the stunts himself, further increasing his stature as the coolest man in film. His roles in ‘Bullitt’ and ‘Le Mans’, where he performed the majority of his own driving, further cemented his legacy.
Tom Cruise
When you have one of the most famous faces in the world, it’s a pretty good idea to protect it. Tom Cruise is well known for keeping insurance companies terrified and audiences riveted, and performing his own stunts is part of the appeal. For the recent Mission Impossible film, Cruise dangled from the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa, a skyscraper in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It is the tallest man-made structure in the world at 829.8m, but it didn’t stop the Cruiser from hanging around it for the sake of the movie. Pretty impressive dedication to the art of filmmaking!
Cruise is known for his dedication to learning the skills required of his characters and for putting in the graft in big action scenes, and with a CV that includes four Mission Impossible films, two Spielberg sci-fi actioners and plenty of car chases and fights, Cruise deserves a tip of the hat for his stunt work.
Angelina Jolie
It would be rude not to include a lady on this list, and ladies don’t come much tougher than Angelina Jolie, who has performed her own stunts in actioners like ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’, two ‘Tomb Raider’ movies and ‘Salt’, where Jolie really got her hands dirty. In the action-spy thriller, Jolie puts the beating down on many guys and shows some impressive skills with weapons and her fists. Director Phillip Noyce was seriously pleased with the results. He was quoted at the films premiere as saying that there’s “no CGI Angie, no stunt double”. Basically, Angelina Jolie kicks ass!
Viggo Mortensen
After three ‘Lord of the Rings’ films, Viggo Mortensen showed that he was an excellent swordsman, both on screen and off. He put months of dedicated time into being able to authentically perform his own sword work, and the film – and his performance – shines as a result. Mortensen is known for his dedication to his craft, and with such a varied CV, has pulled off some pretty incredible wins in his time, including a nude fight scene in ‘Eastern Promises’ and excellent horse riding skills in Western ‘Hilldago’. Personally, the previous sounds a lot more terrifying than the later, but it’s another example of dedication to a role that makes Mortensen such a respected the sp.
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Daley is a huge movie fan who loves nothing more than a high speed pursuit – as long as it’s happening on the big screen! He works with www.insulatedrollergaragedoors.co.uk.
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