Isla Fisher says she almost drowned after movie stunt went ‘horribly wrong’ as crew mistook it for acting

Isla Fisher says she almost drowned after movie stunt went ‘horribly wrong’ as crew mistook it for acting
Isla Fisher revealed that she nearly drowned while filming a high-risk movie stunt for 'Now You See Me' (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, 2013 summit entertainment ILC)

LONDON, UK: Australian actress Isla Fisher recently opened up about a harrowing underwater scene in the 2013 film 'Now You See Me' that nearly cost her her life.

Fisher, known for her fearless approach to acting, recounted how a daring stunt in the opening scene left her trapped underwater, struggling for air, while the production crew mistook her distress for a convincing performance, Ladbible.com reported.

Isla Fisher reveals terrifying near-drowning incident while filming 'Now You See Me'

Isla Fisher attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
Isla Fisher attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

In the film, Isla Fisher played Henley Reeves, a magician performing an escape act from a tank filled with water and hovering piranhas. While daring stunts like this are usually left to professionals, Fisher insisted on doing it herself.

Despite her preparation, the scene went awry when her chains became entangled at the bottom of the tank. Fisher banged frantically on the glass to alert the crew, but her efforts were misinterpreted as part of her act. "I couldn’t breathe or get up for air," she shared. "By the time I realized I couldn’t get out and beckoned for the safety team, I had run out of air."

Fisher explained that while there was a backup oxygen supply off-camera, it was positioned too far from the tank for immediate assistance. Fortunately, she managed to free herself before the situation escalated further.

Isla Fisher and Jesse Eisenberg filming on location for
Isla Fisher and Jesse Eisenberg filming on location for 'Now You See Me' on March 23, 2012 in New York City (Bobby Bank/WireImage)

Fisher recalled, "They had a guy who was off camera, but he was a long way away with a can of oxygen. By the time I realized I couldn't get up and beckoned for him, I realised that I had run out of air.''

Fisher shared with Cosmopolitan in 2013, “I don’t see myself as particularly brave. If something terrifies me, I am going to do it."

The film’s director, Louis Leterrier, even remarked, "The director (Louis Leterrier) said to me, 'Wow. I've worked with so many actors on big action movies, and you're the only one who's done all their own stunts'. I said, 'I didn't know I had a choice'. I thought you just had to get on with it. It's the Australian way!''

Isla Fisher took months of preparation for underwater scene

Isla Fisher recalls she almost died while doing a movie stunt as crew thought she was doing a great job(13 summit entertainment ILC )
 Isla Fisher opened up about the harrowing experience she faced while filming a challenging underwater scene (2013 Summit Entertainment ILC )

Actress Isla Fisher opened up about the harrowing experience she faced while filming a challenging underwater scene that took months of preparation and three intense days to shoot.

Fisher revealed she had spent two months training to hold her breath and get comfortable with handcuffs, essential skills for the role. Despite her preparation, she found herself in a life-threatening situation.

"I couldn't breathe or get up for air, which was a little hairy," Fisher shared, recalling the moment she was stuck underwater. "A lot of the time I was in the tank, it was just like white noise. I couldn't hear anyone."

During the scene, Fisher relied on reading the lips of a nearby extra to understand what was happening as her oxygen depleted. "The adrenaline of being chained underwater meant that I had less oxygen in my lungs, I ran out of air quicker and panicked slightly more," she explained.



 

Director Louis Leterrier later informed her that she managed to hold her breath for an impressive three minutes. While she was proud of the accomplishment, Fisher admitted it was terrifying. "Luckily, I managed to get free, stay level-headed, and get out before it went even more horribly wrong."

The actress also shared the frightening reality of being unable to reach the safety button or "kill switch" designed to expel thousands of gallons of water from the tank in 70 seconds. A safety diver with oxygen was stationed nearby but too far to provide immediate assistance.

Amid the life-threatening situation, Fisher's thoughts turned to an unexpected concern, her outfit. "There was only one thing on my mind," she said with a laugh. "Not in a swimming costume. No one wants to go in a swimming costume."

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