Gerard Butler on the mayhem behind 300: "Every day someone ended up in the hospital"

When Gerard Butler signed up to play King Leonidas in Zack Snyder's visually stunning and action-packed 300, he likely didn't anticipate that the behind-the-scenes chaos would rival the on-screen carnage. In a recent interview with People, Butler revealed the staggering toll the film's intense production took on the cast and crew. "I remember every day somebody was getting taken to the hospital," Butler shared, recounting a set fraught with accidents and injuries.

The film's elaborate fight scenes, featuring actors wielding spears and swords with brutal precision, created a perfect storm of danger. "You'd be doing a fight, you turn around, there's a guy down there, a spear went in his eye," Butler recalled. On another day, a stuntman fell and broke his ankle mid-shoot. The sheer volume of mishaps made the production feel less like a film set and more like an endless endurance test.

The cast faced incredible physical challenges throughout the shoot. Heavy costumes, exhausting choreography, and relentless training pushed everyone to their limits. Butler himself emerged battered but proud, though the experience wasn't without its close calls. While he didn't detail injuries from 300 specifically, he revealed that his career has been punctuated by painful moments. During the filming of Chasing Mavericks, he was nearly swept away by massive waves. "They had to take me out, take me to the hospital, put me out, give me the defibrillator. I mean, it was intense," he admitted.

His stunt-related stories didn't end there. While working on PS: I Love You, Butler accidentally left Hilary Swank with a scar. On the set of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life, a misfired stunt nearly resulted in him shooting Angelina Jolie in the face. "I was hanging upside down, had to fire a gun, and had no control over where it went. I just missed it," he confessed.

Despite the bruises, breaks, and brushes with disaster, Butler looks back on his career with pride. "It's awesome. I wouldn't change it for the world," he said. For 300, the risks translated into immense rewards, with the film earning $456 million worldwide and cementing its place as a cinematic classic.

While safety standards have improved in Hollywood, Butler's stories remind us of the sheer physicality and risks involved in making action films. Is the spectacle worth the cost, or should productions prioritise safety above all else? What's your take on the balance between danger and cinematic glory?