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The meticulously planned action scenes in films like John Wick: 3 - Parabellum by director Chad Stahelski enable the actors to perform most of the stunts. These action pieces are testaments to why stunts deserve recognition at the Oscars.
However, not all actors require stunt doubles for certain shots. Producers usually agree to lead actors performing their own low-risk stunts, while high-risk ones are left to professionals.
Please note that this list skips most actors and actresses that are commonly known to perform most of their own stunts. These include legends like Jackie Chan, Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves.
Here are 10 actors and actresses who perform most of their own stunts in action scenes:
10) Dylan O'Brien
The 29-year old "Teen Wolf" star is known for not shying away from even potentially dangerous stunts. This was proved in 2016, while shooting the Maze Runner trilogy's last film, Dylan was heavily injured while shooting a stunt scene.
A stunt car ran over him, leaving O'Brien hospitalized with fractures in the face and brain trauma. But that did not stop the American Assassin (2017) star from performing his own stunts in later films.
9) Ryan Potter
The 25-year old actor is known for voicing 'Hiro' in Disney's Big Hero Six (2014) and portraying Gar Logan/Beast Boy in HBO Max's Titans series.
Ryan Potter also has experience with martial arts and likes to perform most of his stunts. In 2014 Potter mentioned to Laughing Place that:
"I did a really good amount of my own stunts (in Supah Ninjas), but I still had stunt doubles… But the stunt coordinator rehearsed with us a lot, and he got to a point where he felt comfortable with us doing a lot of our own stuff."
8) Angelina Jolie
The iconic actress established herself as one of the best action stars in recent years with films like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Wanted (2008) and Salt (2010).
Her stunt-trainer in Salt, Simon Crane, told US Weekly that the star does 99% of her stunts. The 46-year old is returning to the action genre with Marvel's upcoming movie "Eternals (2021)."
7) Tom Holland
This 25-year old British actor who plays Spider-Man (Peter Parker) is one such Marvel actor who is keen to do his own stunts. Holland is experienced in gymnastics and parkour, giving him the agility to portray Spider-Man.
6) Charlie Cox
Another Marvel actor known for playing "Daredevil" did many of his stunts while portraying the "man without fear."
According to an IndieWire report, Charlie's stunt double Chris Brewster said:
"The goal is to get the actors doing as much as possible [in Daredevil series]."
5) Charlize Theron
Like Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron has also forayed into action star territory in recent years. The 46-year old star did many of her stunts and combat scenes in David Leitch's Atomic Blonde (2017) and The Old Guard (2020).
4) Margot Robbie
The "Suicide Squad" star is also keen to perform her stunts. Margot Robbie has experience as a trapeze artist, allowing her to perform many of Harley Quinn's actions.
In a recent BuzzFeed video, on being asked who does most of their stunts, the film's stars pointed to Robbie.
3) Stephen Amell
The "Arrowverse" fans know the "Arrow" star to be quite athletic, enabling him to perform the bow and arrow wielding vigilante's actions. The Canadian actor has also participated in American Ninja Warrior and completed the course.
2) Jean-Claude Van Damme
This action star is known for performing almost all his stunts in movies. The 60-year old actor is an expert martial artist known for his "epic split," which also featured in a viral Volvo truck ad.
1) Michelle Yeoh
The actress is renowned for performing her own incredible and potentially fatal stunts in 90's movies like Yes, Madam (1985), Police Story 3: Supercop (1992), and Holy Weapon (1993).
She also has experience with martial arts and swordplay, which she showcased in cult-classic films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
This list of celebrities in this article reflects the opinions of the writer.
