Another Top 10 Actors Who Do Their Own Stunts

#10: Tom Holland

Also in:

Top 10 Actors Who Do Their Own Stunts

Short of getting bitten by a radioactive spider, Tom Holland made sure his Spider-Man was the real deal. Though cinemagoers couldn’t always tell it was him with the mask on, for many of the action sequences, Holland did the stunts himself. Apparently, stuntmen only stepped in for the high risk stuff. That being said, Holland was reportedly always looking to push the envelope on what he was “allowed” to do. An experienced gymnast and trained dancer, his physical capabilities understandably blew away the casting directors. He even somersaulted into his audition tapes to show he could be both Peter Parker and Spider-Man.

#9: Cameron Diaz

Also in:

James Cameron's AVATAR 2 to be Shown in GLASSES-FREE 3D? – The CineFiles Ep. 27

Though she may not be known for her action roles, Cameron Diaz doesn't shy away from stunts when the opportunity presents itself. Diaz practiced martial arts extensively to get her fight scenes just right in 'Charlie's Angels.' She was reportedly a natural with the wire-based fighting, doing her own flips and high-flying kicks. Diaz further upped the ante for 'Knight and Day,' by doing her own stunt driving. She even kept up with Tom Cruise's insane antics on set, taking her fair share of injuries along the way. One scene found Diaz spinning around Cruise while riding a motorcycle, shooting shooting blanks at their on-screen foes.She’s certainly no damsel in distress.

#8: Hugh Jackman

Also in:

Top 10 Hugh Jackman Moments

Having played Wolverine for 17 years, Hugh Jackman's thirst for excitement has left some scars. Jackman insisted on doing his own stunts throughout the franchise, injuring his groin with a harness shooting the first X-Men film. Using prop claws on set, Jackman accidently stabbed Rebecca Romijn's stunt-double right in the arm. Jackman has narrowly missed his own genitals and eyes with the blades, allegedly carrying the extensive scars to show for it. While filming a fight sequence onboard a train in 'The Wolverine,' Jackman reportedly nearly broke his neck. Remembering that Wolverine's mutant healing powers didn’t extend to him in real life, Jackman was supposedly more keen on using stunt doubles after the incident.

#7: Michelle Yeoh

Also in:

The Rise of Michelle Yeoh

This Malaysian actress got her start in Hong Kong action movies, where she made a name for herself by doing her own stunts.To call Michelle Yeoh fearless…. is an understatement. One of her earliest roles involved riding a motorcycle onto a moving train, which has been called one of the greatest stunts in cinema. Appearing in “Tomorrow Never Dies” as Bond girl Wai Lin, Yeoh delivered a stunt-heavy performance that arguably outshined the film’s hero. On the set of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' Yeoh allegedly wound up mentoring several of her co-stars. She’s so dedicated that she frequently clashes with the studio and producers over being allowed to do her own stunts.

#6: Charlie Chaplin

Also in:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Cast: Where Are They Now?

Thanks to some willful reckless endangerment, Charlie Chaplin helped pave the way for stunt-hungry actors. As far back as 1916, Chaplin was risking his neck for laughs. In “The Pawnshop” he took 10-foot fall from a ladder and walks it off in the same take. Thanks to the lack of safety precautions at the time, Chaplin was able to perform dangerous feats throughout his career. Putting himself in a cage with an actual lion and walking stories above the ground for the famous tight-rope sequence - such things are unimaginable now, but Chaplin did them all in his time.

As a former MMA fighter, Gina Carano actually has to hold back when trading blows on-screen. Speaking with Xfinity on Demand in 2014 about her then-new film “In the Blood”, she joked that she always has stunt doubles, but that they’re usually pretty bored. Fighting may come naturally to her, but she pushes beyond her own comfort zone to perform other stunts, such as the stationary ziplining scene from the aforementioned film, which she called the scariest to shoot. Director Steven Soderbergh actually wrote 'Haywire' around Carano after seeing her fighting skills on television. Nonetheless, Carano dialed it up for the film, training with ex-special ops soldiers in preparation. Now that’s dedication.

#4: Sylvester Stallone

Also in:

Top 10 Sylvester Stallone Performances

Sylvester Stallone has always taken a hands on approach to his movies, and that includes stunt work.Shooting the cliff jump in 'First Blood,' Stallone took over the fall from the stuntman as Rambo tumbles through the trees. Stallone actually broke his rib on one of the branches, screaming in actual pain on screen. While filming 'Rocky IV,' Stallone was punched so hard that his rib cage dislodged into his chest. Stallone hasn't let age slow him down either. His fight scene with Steve Austin in the Expendables got so intense on-set that Stallone fractured his neck while filming it. But hey, no one knows how to take a punch like Rocky.

#3: Christian Bale

Also in:

Top 20 Greatest Christian Bale Performances

While most actors put research into the roles they play, Christian Bale’s method acting approach involves him becoming the characters he portrays. Stepping wholeheartedly into his role as Batman, Bale stood on the ledge of the Sears Tower himself. Training with martial artists, Bale took on the franchise's fight scenes too. Bale lost 60 pounds to play the title character in 'The Machinist,' only to gain it all back and then some a few years later when he took on the role of the Dark Knight for “Batman Begins”. Wholly committed to realism wherever possible, Bale also chose to swing from a helicopter himself in 'Rescue Dawn' rather than accept a stunt double.

#2: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Also in:

Top 10 Arnold Schwarzenegger Films

Putting his muscle in harm's way, Arnold Schwarzenegger has consistently stayed close to the action. Starring as Conan, Arnold ran from genuinely dangerous dogs on set. The dogs even attacked their trainer, and pulled Arnold off a rock during filming. Arnold rode a mock landing gear down the runway for 'Commando,' and even shot his own fights. To give his Terminator some smoke, Arnold had a light acid poured on his jacket during a car chase. Decades down the line, Arnold is still crashing cars and busting through doors. He even returned to the set of 'The Last Stand' the same day as a hospital visit. This is one star who simply doesn’t back down. Before we to our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions: Scott Adkins "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007) Chris Pratt "Jurassic World" (2015) Burt Reynolds "Deliverance" (1972)

#1: Jet Li

Also in:

Top 10 Scenes That Actors Regret Doing

A martial arts master from a young age, Jet Li is a fight choreographer's dream. His quick moves landed him his first Hollywood role in the Lethal Weapon series. They were so fast in fact, that the directors allegedly had to ask him to slow down for the cameras.Though he brings in stunt doubles for elaborate action sequences, Li has performed virtually all his own fights throughout the years, outpacing his Western co-stars to comic degrees on more than one occasion. Li is arguably the best of his generation, and there are those who claim that he surpasses even Jackie Chan when it comes to fighting - be it staged or otherwise.