Even though there is much technology available that is being used in movies these days. In fact, many directors apply their own methods of technological innovation to capture the magic of their story-telling in the most vivid way. There seem to be an ever increasing number of science-fiction and animated movies made every year. But the real action thrill comes from the fact when it is done actually by someone. That someone is mostly a stuntman hired to do the tricks and make it look as if the actor has done it. But we all know the truth about it. Here is a list of actors who actually like to do their stunts, not because they have their adrenaline rushing fast, but because they like to keep it real. This approach is an authentic and honest one to their art of movie making.
10. Angelina Jolie
9. Matt Damon
Who does not remember Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity series? He did most of his own stunts for these movies himself which is why they are all so riveting to watch. A thoroughly action packed thriller time. For this movie series, he did multiple scenes in the water and jumped off from a bridge despite there was a threat of drowning in the deep water. He also performed all of his car crash stunts himself.
8. Christian Bale
Christian is one of the fittest guys for any role demanding physical pressure. He has reportedly reduced himself to 121 pounds for his role in The Machinist (2004) and then immediately put on weight to get to 260 pounds for his role in Batman Begins (2005). The most interesting of his stunts was when he refused the director to have a stuntman for a scene in Rescue Dawn (2006). His movies are always full of thrilling action and more so for the stunts that he does himself.
7. Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is a well-known leading man, but he has also been able to hold an image of a true action hero by performing his own stunts for Mission: Impossible series and in other movies. The next movie, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be released sometime by the end of this year. For this film, he has scaled the world’s tallest building while filming his own stunts.
6. Zoe Bell
She is a stuntwoman and an actress as well, who has performed all of her own stunts in the films. She made her debut as a stunt double for Lucy Lawless and Sharon Stone in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (2007) and appeared in the film playing herself as well. She also did stunt doubling for the Kill Bill series, Catwoman (2004) and Inglorious Basterds (2009) amongst the others.
5. Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen performed all of his own stunts for the movie series of Lord of the Rings. It is reported that he insisted on carrying a real steel sword instead of aluminum or a fake rubber one to give more effect to the scenes and deliver well in his acting. His brilliant horse-racing in the movie, Hidalgo (2004) was solely his own work. He is said to have even bought the horse that he rode in the movie.
4. Arnold Schwarzenegger
This macho man did most of the stunts in his films himself, especially in Conan series and Commando (1985). The reason that he said he had to do his stunts was the difficulty in finding his look alike double who could replace him well. But now he is into his own action with action sequences performed by him alone. He will be back with more action and his own stunts again in the upcoming movies in the Terminator series.
3. Jason Statham
He is the former Olympics diver who does all of his own stunts with all the kicks, explosions and of course, driving. His driving stunts in the Transporter series are spectacular to say the least. He did a marvelous performance in The Bank Job (2008). In one of his interviews, he said that, “The adrenaline is a great rush. I love it, but it is quite stupid.” We cannot argue with what he enjoys doing and we enjoy seeing, that is to see him in real action.
2. Harrison Ford
Despite him being in his mid-sixties now, he is full of charge when it comes to actions on sets. He did most of his stunts in the recent Indiana Jones movie. According to Shia LeBeouf, his co-star in the film, he did 90% of those action sequences himself despite of his old age. This is the kind of real leading man that is required to make the action look as real as it could get. He will be seen this year in Cowboys & Aliens, which is a sci-fi Western movie based on the novel of the same name by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.
1. Jackie Chan
There is no secret in the fact that Jackie Chan does all of his own stunts. Initially, he was training for having a career in the Peking Opera, which is traditional Chinese theatre, but his interest was more in performing difficult stunts involving martial arts. Today, he is amongst the world’s top martial art movie actors. The many injuries that he receives do not stop him from continuing performing his own actions in the movies. He holds the Guinness World Record for “most stunts performed by a living actor”. His every movie is to be seen for his stunt sequences, like Rush Hour series, Police Story series, The Spy Next Door (2010) and The Karate Kid (2010) to name just a few of the recent ones.