Gerard Butler has a reputation as a tough man following his much-revered role in the historical action film '300,' and it's just as well that he seems to be able to live up to that after a recent incident in the Santa Cruz area of the U.S.
The San Mateo County Times reports that Butler was filming for latest film 'Men And Mavericks', a surfing flick, which saw the star out on the waves of Half Moon Bay - it's an area that reportedly favours some of the best big-wave surfing in the world during the winter. There've been deaths in the area too however, not least competitive Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky who drowned last March. Butler was tackling the waves well, when in what was described as one of the biggest sets of waves of the day, he was pulled under, being held under two waves and subsequently washed through the inside rocks while tethered to his surfboard. Thankfully for the actor he had experienced surfers Greg Long, Zach Wormhoudt and Oeter Mel with him as well as the attentions of a local safety patrolman who ultimately saved him before he was whisked off to hospital; he was found to not be seriously injured.
Commenting on the waves that downed Butler, even Wormhoudt admitted their difficulty, saying "It was probably the biggest set of the day," Wormhoudt said. "It was intense for myself and I've been through a lot out there."