Top 10 Actors Who Risked Serious Injuries for Roles

Everyone knows just how incredible he was in “The Matrix” franchise. Reeves underwent extensive training to make Neo a kung fu master. And these days, he's even better known for his insane stunts in the “John Wick” films. His commitment to the role led him to master horseback riding, stunt driving, and firearms training. It's been said that Reeves does around 90% of the stunts in the films, and you can tell by all the crazy fights the Baba Yaga goes through. The only hits his stunt double takes are the ones from cars or staircases.

The three-time Academy Award Winner is famous for his extreme method acting. He trained for weeks to become an expert fighter for “The Boxer.” He also refused to wear a modern coat while filming “Gangs of New York.” All this earned him a damaged spinal disc, a broken nose, and a case of Pneumonia, which he didn't even want treatment for. If you think that's dedication, he also tortured himself for the prison film “In the Name of the Father.” He put himself in solitary confinement, ate prison rations to lose weight, and had the crew throw cold water on him. We hope those best actor awards were worth it, Daniel.

The beloved character actor has been recognized with nominations from both the Oscars and Emmys. He's taken on roles with absurd intensity but he really went the extra mile for “The Sessions.” In this film, he plays Mark O'Brien, who was a real life journalist and poet with a disability. In order to portray his disability authentically, Hawkes devised a method to appear paralyzed from the neck down. For days he'd lie on a piece of foam to curve his spine, and though it made him more convincing, it permanently damaged a disc in his back. Some internal organs had also shifted place due to the injury. But Hawkes considers it a small price to pay, given what many people like Mark O'Brien have to go through every day.

The number of accidents on the set of “Apocalypse Now” could make up an entire list. The crew suffered several injuries, and the lead actor also had more than his fair share. Perhaps his most famous wound is in the film's opening, where Captain Willard smashes a mirror and wipes blood in his face. The cut in his hand was real, improvised by an intoxicated Martin Sheen. It conveyed the character so well that he insisted that the cameras keep rolling. Production later hit another problem when Sheen suffered a heart attack. Afraid that the film would get cancelled, he told the studio that he just had heat stroke. The lie worked, and in the end we got a legendary performance.

Although she didn't start out as an action star, she's certainly risked a lot to make her mark. While filming a stunt for “Æon Flux,” Charlize Theron suffered a severe neck injury. The nerve damage was so bad that it put her through years of pain management. But that didn't stop her from doing more stunt work. Her love of physical storytelling led her to doing most of her fight scenes in “Atomic Blonde.” If you've seen the film, you know how insane of an accomplishment that is. And it's not just action films that she got hurt for. While filming “The Road,” Theron injured her vocal cords in a grating birth scene. She should be getting awards for just going through all this.

It's no surprise that one of the most famous martial arts actors is willing to endure a few hits. Take, for example, 1992’s “Once Upon a Time in China II.” In this film, Yen goes up against fellow actor Jet Li in an epic final battle. The scene is an absolute spectacle, but it cost Yen a painful bamboo strike to the eyebrow. A similar incident would occur about ten years later on the set of “Hero.” In his second duel with Jet Li, Donnie Yen’s other eye was cut by a sword. You'd think the stitches from the first time would make him want to avoid a rematch. Fortunately Donnie Yen sees these mishaps as helping at the box office.

Considered by some to be the first American action hero, the silent movie star's work can be seen just about everywhere – even without you knowing. You're probably familiar with the “falling house facade ” gag, which can be found in dozens of movies and TV shows. That hilarious yet dangerous stunt came from “Steamboat Bill Jr.” Other life threatening stunts included a tumble down a moving staircase and a deadly burst from a water tower. He broke an ankle in the first and his neck in the latter, though he didn't know about the neck injury until many years later. You might be brave, but you'll never be “jumping off buildings and trains with a broken neck” brave.

A long-time icon in the Hong Kong action scene, Michelle Yeoh has made a career out of stunt work. One of her most famous ones was in “Police Story 3,” where she drives a motorcycle off a dirt path and lands on a train. And that wasn't even the movie's riskiest stunt. Another scene had her jumping off a truck and onto a speeding car, which nearly cost her her life. She put herself on the line again four years later in “The Stunt Woman.” This time she had to jump from an overpass and onto a truck below. Although she broke her ribs and fractured her spine in the process, she refused to stay down and continued to have a successful career.

From climbing a replica of the Burj Khalifa to hanging off the side of an aircraft, this Hollywood daredevil has risked his life numerous times. One such death-defying stunt can be seen in “Mission Impossible: Fallout.” After skydiving one hundred times to qualify, Cruise made a HALO jump at twenty-five thousand feet, falling at two hundred miles per hour. And there was still hypoxia to worry about! As you can probably guess, Cruise also has had his fair share of accidents on set. During a chase scene in “Fallout,” he leaped off a roof and broke his ankle upon impact. He also crashed a motorcycle while filming “Oblivion.” The fact that he's survived up till now is honestly a miracle.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Known for Doing His Own Stunts, Including a Crash That Almost Killed Him

Powered Through Middle Earth With 2 Broken Toes

Insisted on Wearing a Rib-Breaking Corset, Even After Already Breaking 2 of Them

Pneumonia, Hyperthermia, & a Lightning Strike Weren’t Enough to Keep Him Down

Scarred by “Salt,” Still Drop Dead Gorgeous

Countless performers can handle high jumps, car chases, even the occasional sword fight. But this man has endured much, much worse – the cold shoulder of the Academy. Why do we not applaud actors’ emotional resilience? What a sad, sad world.


Alright, you got us, he’s not actually our #1. We do stand with Cooper, though.

Out of all the actors who aren't afraid to get hurt, Jackie Chan is arguably the most fearless. His all-in approach to filmmaking has resulted in dozens of injuries. He's injured his nose, cheekbones, hips, pelvis, sternum, ribs, and neck in various productions. One such injury almost took a turn for the worst on the set of “Armour of God.” What was supposed to be a simple jump resulted in a fall that fractured Chan's skull. An emergency surgery saved his life but he was left with a permanent dent in his head. If we had another hour, we still couldn't list every time he cheated death. Just know that he's essentially the perfect example of an “unstoppable force.”