Stars Who Do Their Own Stunts Like A Boss
Stunt performers work in tandem with the actors to make daring moves look plausibly real in action films. Going beyond death-defying feats of human fortitude like vaulting out of skyscrapers or creating exciting car chases, stunt performers do their best to ensure that every blade-twisting, the gravity-defying move looks as realistic as possible. And though it isn’t the norm, occasionally a lead actor will want to step into those shoes locked onto a double’s feet and perform the stunts themselves bringing an added element of authenticity to an action sequence.
A lead actor performing their own stunts in a movie is like a short-order cook preparing the food, right before serving it to you. It means they put in extra effort and some extra care with another job that they feel is worth it. Imagine it like this: the harder they try, the more authentic their performance. Why? They realize there is an element of danger involved and do what they can to minimize those risks. With that being said, these are the 5 stars who do their own stunts like a boss –
Dwayne Johnson
In an interview, Dwayne Johnson said it was important for him to do his own stunts. He owed it to the fans and knows they would feel more emotionally connected if he takes that risk and not just be a blindfold stunt man. With a long career in professional wrestling under “The Rock” moniker and being so comfortable in his own body, it only made sense that Johnson would want to be doing his own stunts. That is how you connect with fans on a whole other level – when you are truly authentic like this.
Tom Cruise
We all know how powerful Tom Cruise is as the action star Maverick from his film Top Gun. But did you know why years later he goes on to do much more than any other actor in films? This is because Tom Cruise pushed himself to his limit and delivers the best result for his audience. With that being said, product managers often merge into their roles – though it depends on their company. And in this case, it looked like the stuntman took over the lead role in films like Mission: Impossible.
Angelina Jolie
Next on the list is Angelina Jolie. She is popularly known for starring in action movies like Maleficent, but there was a time when she was one of the biggest names associated with performing her own stunt work. For example: Wanted, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Salt, and even Tomb Raider – to name just a few! With that said, she started making it look possible while shooting Tomb Raider where she got trained for months doing interval training and barrel rolls duel-wielding HK’s. She didn’t just train for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider but also put on fifteen pounds of muscle between the first film and The Cradle of Life from training alone.
Keanu Reeves
The majority of action films used to rely on editing, ingenious stunt work, and less skilled actors to craft the illusion that their stars knew how to fight. With productions like John Wick and its sequel, there is no need for such artifices because Keanu Reeves has been doing most if not all of his own stunts since Speed in 1994. His ability to look believably capable has become known as the “Matrix Moment” because of his martial arts experience in Wachowski’s legendary franchise.
Jackie Chan
67-year-old Jackie Chan has made a name for himself in stunt work. In addition to his incredible fight scenes, he also performs many of his own stunts and can most recently be seen alongside Chris Tucker in the 2015 film Dragon Blade. Chan has suffered some debilitating accidents over the years from burns, to back injuries from kicks and punches, to even nearly plunging a dagger into his throat during one project. One close call with death came early on when he was stabbed in the skull by accident but managed to pull it out just before reaching his brain, enabling him to continue filming on set.
