ESPN News is reporting that 300 actor Gerard Butler was hospitalized after nearly losing his life in a surfing stunt early Sunday afternoon.
The accident happened at Maverick’s, the infamous Northern California surf spot south of San Francisco.
According to the report , Butler was filming “Of Men and Mavericks,” a movie about big-wave surfing legend Jay Moriarity, when the Scot wiped out and was held underwater for two consecutive waves, before being hit on the head by four or five more.
Eventually the 42-year-old was plucked from the water and onto a jet-ski, before being taken to the shore and rushed to hospital by an ambulance.
“(Butler) had that 100-yard stare that surfers get after a two-wave hold down or near-death experience,” ESPN Action Sports writer and photographer Frank Quirarte explained, recounting the scary incident.
Gerard was then reportedly taken to the nearby Stanford Medical Center and detained for observation overnight.
“He’s fine. Very scary. They brought him to Stanford University,” a rep for Butler confirmed to ETonline following the accident. “More scary than anything. For precaution, we all wanted him checked out after it all happened. Came out with flying colors.”
The UK’s Daily Mail points out that Butler’s lucky escape is made all the more stark by the fact well-known surfers have died while riding the notoriously difficult waves there.
In March of this year, 35-year-old Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky died in a near identical accident (was held down for two waves) at Maverick’s and in 1994, pro-surfer Mark Foo also died there – an incident that led to a safety patrol being set up.
Of Men and Mavericks is due to hit theaters on October 26, 2012. To hear Gerard Butler talk about the upcoming film, check out the clip below:
