17 times we get to see an actor actually getting injured in movies

Hollywood may dazzle us with stunts and action sequences, but behind the camera, some of these moments come with the potential of a real risk. Even with stringent safety measures in place, actors often find themselves in precarious situations that could lead to injuries. Broken bones, near-death experiences, and permanent bodily damage are all part of the physical price of bringing your favorite films to life. Whether it was in an attempt to maintain authenticity or pure happenstance, such on-set errors entered film history. Here are 17 times where actors have unfortunately had their bodies be part of their craft.

1. Leonardo DiCaprio – Django Unchained (2012)

In Django Unchained, a portion of Leonardo DiCaprio's performance as Calvin Candie became all too real when he slammed his hand on a table, accidentally shattering glass. The shards cut his palm, but DiCaprio did not stop; rather, he continued into a chilling monologue where his hand bled profusely. The injury was unplanned, but his commitment to the scene made it believable. This scene featuring his real blood was included in the final cut.

2. Tom Cruise – Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Tom Cruise is known for performing action stunts for his films, but on the set of Mission: Impossible – Fallout, it cost him dearly. During one of the rooftop chases in London, Cruise misjudged a leap and crashed into the side of the building, breaking his ankle upon landing. Miraculously, he hauled himself back up and completed the shot before getting medical help. The scene, though his actual injury, made the final cut. Director Christopher McQuarrie praised his resilience and revealed that the production resumed shortly after weeks in recovery.

3. Channing Tatum – Foxcatcher (2014)

In the movie Foxcatcher, Channing Tatum gets himself in too deep while portraying troubled wrestler Mark Schultz. In one of the most intense scenes, Tatum's character smashes his head into a mirror. Despite the warnings, Tatum still wanted to do it himself. This caused him to smash the glass and cut his head. He chose to continue the scene without immediate medical attention. This instance added a raw element to his performance and earned him much critical acclaim.

4. Viggo Mortensen – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Viggo Mortensen is well known for his role as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. During a scene, believing Merry and Pippin to be dead, he kicks at an Orc helmet in distress. What filmgoers didn't realize was that Mortensen injured two toes in this shot. Rather than pulling back, Mortensen used the pain to express the anguish of his character. Director Peter Jackson later praised his perseverance, saying the take was so powerful that he included it in the final cut.

5. Brad Pitt – Se7en (1995)

Brad Pitt's performance for Se7en found his real injury given a place on the screen. Chasing after the killer through pouring rain, Pitt slipped and smashed his arm into a windshield resulting in a cut on the tendon. Instead of postponing filming production, he integrated the injury on-screen by having his character detective Mills wear a cast in the following scenes. Pitt says it was probably one of the most physically grueling roles in his career.

6. Jackie Chan – Police Story (1985)

Jackie Chan's bold stunts have resulted in a few injuries throughout his career. The worst incident however occurred during the shooting of Police Story. During the mall fight scene in the movie, Jackie slides through a pole covered with lights. Upon landing, he suffered burns, broke a vertebra, and dislocated his pelvis. Ignoring the agony, he finished the shot. This still ranks as one of Jackie Chan's most death-defying stunt scenes. Chan later confessed that the stunt almost ended his career, but his determination made action stars across the globe take up the challenge.

7. Margaret Hamilton – The Wizard of Oz (1939)

While Margaret Hamilton's version of the Wicked Witch of the West has become an icon herself, her experience shooting for the movie wasn't all too pleasant. During her dramatic exit from Munchkinland when the trapdoor fails, a special effects malfunction left her vulnerable to the flames and Hamilton sustained second-degree burns on her face and hands and needed recovery for weeks. Despite the trauma of the incident, she went back to finish up all of her scenes but never worked with fire again. Hamilton's professionalism and resilience added an unforgettable edge to her character, making her one of cinema's most memorable villains.

8. Daniel Craig – Spectre (2015)

Daniel Craig has always displayed a deep commitment to playing the character of James Bond, but unfortunately during the shooting of Spectre, he sustained a serious injury. As he fought with Dave Bautista in the film, he got a meniscus tear. Though initially suspected to be a sprain, the injury later required surgery. However, he made sure to finish up the scene before receiving medical attention and taking a recovery break. Craig's commitment to action sequences has sealed his position as one of the toughest Bonds.

9. Halle Berry – Die Another Day (2002)

During the filming of Die Another Day, Halle Berry's dedication to her Bond girl character led to one dangerous moment. In a seduction scene with Pierce Brosnan, she choked on a fig but Brosnan was quick to save her by applying the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the fruit. Later, she also sustained an eye injury through flying debris during an action scene, she had to undergo a procedure to remove the debris fragments from her eye and continued filming with an inflamed cornea.

10. Sylvester Stallone – Rocky IV (1985)

In the climactic fight scene in Rocky IV, Sylvester Stallone demanded to receive realistic hits from his co-star Dolph Lundgren. One such very brutal punch to Stallone's chest left his heart banging against his ribcage and swelling. He was rushed to the hospital and doctors warned that he could face heart damage. Later, Stallone confessed that he under-estimated Lundgren's strength and mentioned that the incident felt like "the real fight." This injury became a backstage legend which underscored Stallone's commitment to authenticity in making the legendary Rocky film franchise.

11. Charlize Theron – Aeon Flux (2005)

Charlize Theron's role in Aeon Flux almost ended her career when sustained a serious neck injury during a stunt. While attempting a backflip, Theron fell awkwardly and suffered a herniated disk that posed a threat of paralysis. Production was halted for months while she was undergoing rehabilitation. Still, she returned to the film set to complete it, proving that nothing could get in her way. Later she confessed that the experience made her wary of stunts.

12. Michael J. Fox – Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Michael J. Fox's dedication to his character, Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part III caused him to lose consciousness for several seconds. In a scene where he is hanged by the villain, Fox insisted on doing the stunt himself. Something went wrong and caused the noose to tighten excessively, strangling him for several seconds before the crew caught on. It later had Fox joking that the director thought that his acting was "too realistic" before realizing what was happening. It is a chilling reminder of the dangers that an actor faces while performing stunts.

13. Linda Hamilton – Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Linda Hamilton pushed herself to the limit during the shooting of Terminator 2: Judgment Day as Sarah Connor and even sustained permanent hearing damage. During the filming of the iconic elevator scene, Hamilton was not wearing ear protection when Arnold Schwarzenegger's shotgun fired and the sound ruptured her eardrum. Hamilton continued through the scene, despite being in pain, contributing to her fearless depiction of Connor and underscoring her willingness to go the extra mile for her roles. The incident, however, became lore behind James Cameron's great sci-fi masterpiece.

14. Bruce Willis – Die Hard (1988)

Die Hard helped make Bruce Willis an action icon, but not without cost - permanent hearing loss in one ear at the hands of a loud blank fired too close to him during one of the film's intense gunfight sequences. Later, he confessed that this injury would trouble him long-term but made a joke saying that he was now "better at tuning out." This authenticity brought into the character of McClane and his willingness to take risks would cement Die Hard as one of the greatest action films of all time.

15. Isla Fisher – Now You See Me (2013)

The underwater stunt in Now You See Me by Isla Fisher became too real as her safety chain malfunctioned, and she was left stuck in the tank. Fisher waved frantically as she tried to free herself from the stuck position, but the crew initially believed it was part of her performance. Before she would almost drown, she was rescued. Later on, Fisher described the incident as "terrifying," but stated that she was set to finish the shot. The sequence found a place in the final cut and gave a chilling realism to the heist thriller.

16. Tom Hanks – Cast Away (2000)

During the shooting of Cast Away, Tom Hanks contracted a serious staph infection during production. He sustained an injury to his leg while filming a scene and the wound became infected, sending Hanks to the hospital. Doctors told him that if the infection had gone untreated, it would have become fatal. The recovery break gave Hanks time to heal and also to lose weight for the film's second half. The gruff performance and physical sacrifices landed him an Academy Award nomination.

17. Harrison Ford – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

While filming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Harrison Ford had a serious accident when the hydraulic door on the Millennium Falcon malfunctioned and fell on his leg. He was trapped under and had to be immediately evacuated from the set, rushing to the hospital for treatment. The injury forced the maker to rewrite of some scenes, but his commitment to the role and the franchise remained unrelenting. He returned to the set after he recovered displaying how resilient and dedicated he was to bringing Han Solo back.