Classic action movies are famous for their pulse-pounding stunts, harrowing sequences, and life and death high stakes. Audiences are on the edge of their seats while watching these nail-biting scenes unfold; the chance to live vicariously through these odds-defying characters is too hard to pass up. With Hollywood heavy hitters bringing in some serious cash, some action stars earn every penny of their paychecks. While plenty of actors jump at the chance to perform their own stunts, some prefer to leave those skills to the experts.

Updated September 20, 2022: If you’re interested in all things action-related, you’ll be happy to know we’ve updated this list with additional actors who embrace stunt work and those who shy away from it.

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Some action stars, even older ones, are determined to carry out their own stunts; whether they enjoy the physicality or overall adrenaline rush, some just can’t get enough. In order for these nail-biting scenes to really deliver, the actor needs to commit and fully be believable. What better way to impress moviegoers than to take on these stunts themselves?

Tom Cruise

     Paramount Pictures

Box office mega-star Tom Cruise is no stranger to danger; he’s built a lucrative career starring in action films and insists on performing his own stunts. Cruise cemented himself as an action star with massive hits like the Mission: Impossible franchise, Minority Report, War of the Worlds, and Edge of Tomorrow. The actor clearly enjoys the physicality of performing stunts, and during a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Cruise revealed, “The first time of any stunt is nerve-wracking but it is also exhilarating. I have been told a few times during shooting a stunt to stop smiling.” Cruise is so dedicated to getting the shot that he even broke his ankle while filming the latest installment of Mission: Impossible.

Jeremy Renner

     Universal Pictures Releasing 

Marvel star Jeremy Renner is celebrated for his portrayal of the bow-wielding marksman hero Hawkeye, with the actor ultimately nabbing his own Disney+ series centering on the Avengers character. While he has fully committed to performing his own stunts in the fan-favorite franchise as well as in action films like S.W.A.T., The Bourne Legacy, and Mission: Impossible series, it may be surprising to hear that Renner actually hurt himself shooting the comedy flick Tag, having fractured his right elbow and left wrist after falling twenty feet. Regardless, the movie star remains determined to do his own stunts, having said, “You spend so much time and money to try and create a world for people to to go sit down in a chair and watch a movie, you don’t want them to be pulled out of the movie by some guy in a bad wig trying to do the stunt.”

Charlize Theron

     Netflix

The Oscar-winning actress pivoted into the action world with successful films like Mad Max: Fury Road, The Fate of the Furious, Atomic Blonde, and Old Guard, with the Netflix flick having a sequel soon. Clearly, Charlize Theron knows how to throw a punch (or two) and commits to her action sequences fully. Speaking to Howard Stern in 2020, Charlize highlighted her stunt work, saying, “It’s all about having the right team. You don’t need a stunt person to step in and do something. You create it to be something you can do. And that’s what makes it fun.” It’s no wonder the actress has a nact for stunts; she and Keanu Reeves share the same trainer!

Jason Statham

     New Line Cinema

Since first bursting onto the action scene with the thrilling Transporter trilogy, Jason Statham made a name for himself in Hollywood as the ultimate antihero. Trained in Brazilian jiujutsu, boxing and judo, Statham’s skills have led him to find success with films like Crank, The Mechanic, The Expendables series and the Fast and Furious franchise. On doing his own stunts, the actor once revealed to IGN, “I’ve never really been frightened to do anything. It’s always an issue of safety that sort of prevents me from doing everything.” Statham has been a big advocate for stunt performers to receive more recognition and praise for their contributions.

Keanu Reeves

     Summit Entertainment

Keanu Reeves has crafted quite the action film resume since his breakthrough role in 1989’s comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The actor is not afraid to try any genre but has received great praise for roles in action flicks like Speed, The Matrix, and the John Wick series. From wild jumps from moving cars to high-intensity fight scenes, Reeves doesn’t shy away from getting his hands dirty in a scene. When speaking about the stunts performed in the John Wick films, the actor told Today reporter Willie Geist, “All the actions done in the movies are carried out solely by me. I do 90% of what goes on there. I try to maintain a connection with my audience.”

Harrison Ford

     Paramount

Beloved powerhouse Harrison Ford has an extensive and impressive film career that has spanned six decades, appearing in classic hits like the Star Wars saga and the Indiana Jones franchise. He has portrayed countless heroic characters in the action genre and doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. Ford enjoys the physical nature of Indiana Jones and took pride in training and performing his own stunts. During the iconic opening sequence in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the actor famously outran the boulder himself and did so a whopping ten times.

While many actors are willing to risk life and limb for a role, others prefer to err on the side of caution and leave the stunt work to the professionals. Whether it’s for self-preservation, protecting production, or simply knowing their limitations, these actors refuse to do their own stunts.

Danny Trejo

     Gravitas Ventures

Renowned character actor Danny Trejo is famous for his many action movie roles like Desperado, Con Air, Machete, and the Spy Kids series. With his steely face, handlebar mustache, and a penchant for sharp objects, the actor is known as a rebel in Hollywood. Despite his tough-guy persona, Trejo is honest about his thoughts on actors performing their own stunts. During a chat with Yahoo Movies, Trejo said, “We have stunt people who do that stuff. And if they get hurt, I’m sorry to say but they just need to put a mustache on another Mexican and we can keep going. But if I get hurt, it’s like everybody’s out of a job. So, I don’t choose to do that.”

Ryan Reynolds

Hollywood funnyman and heavy-hitter Ryan Reynolds is famous for his infectious personality and sidesplitting humor. He’s crafted the perfect blend of action and comedic roles, and though he used to enjoy doing his own stunts, he has since been sidelined. Reynolds was forced to stop performing action sequences after doing so affected his health. 2012’s Safe House was the last film he did his own stunts, having fractured his vertebrae in his neck while filming. Abiding by his doctor’s order, Reynolds leaves the heavy lifting to his stuntmen.

Drew Barrymore

     Columbia Pictures

Hollywood sweetheart Drew Barrymore has been a constant presence in the industry for forty years, having achieved widespread fame following her role in the beloved Steven Spielberg classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The actress has never shied away from action-based roles, having famously starred in and produced Charlie’s Angels and its sequel Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.

While filming a scene in the gone-too-soon Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet, Barrymore suffered a concussion and ended up in the hospital, and the experience changed her views on stunt work. “I will never do my own stunts again. That was the end of a wonderful era…But I will never do a stunt again because I could’ve died and it was really scary.”

Liam Neeson

     20th Century Fox 

Esteemed Irish actor Liam Neeson saw a shift in his career trajectory when he took on the role of Bryan Mills in the Taken trilogy. The subsequent casting led Neeson to other action roles, including Clash of the Titans, The Grey, and A Walk Among the Tombstones. The actor started boxing at the age of nine and used those skills while acting. Despite his willingness to take a punch, Neeson does not perform his own stunts. He has had the same stunt double since 1999, Mark Vanselow. Of this fact, Neeson said, “I do my own fights, I don’t do my own stunts, and there is a difference.”

Samuel L. Jackson

     Marvel Studios

Known for both his colorful resume and expressive vocabulary, Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most decorated actors in Hollywood. With a career spanning decades and roles in hit movies like A Time to Kill, Pulp Fiction, The Hateful Eight, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Jackson is truly an acting chameleon. In recent years, the actor has taken on more physical roles, such as The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Glass, and his appearances as Marvel’s Nick Fury. Despite his commitment to the craft, Jackson knows his limitations and that includes stunt work. “Why would I do that? If you want a long career you don’t do all that stuff.”