Not all heroes wear capes! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most exemplary cases of celebrities becoming real-life heroes, by going out of their way and sometimes risking their lives to help others.
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00:00You know, it makes for a great story, all of the controversy, is he too this, is he too flamboyant?
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo!
00:10And today we're counting down our picks for the most exemplary cases of celebrities becoming real life heroes
00:15by going out of their way and sometimes risking their lives to help others.
00:18And if I could just offer any help to the firehouse.
00:22Number 20. Tom Hardy
00:25This British actor may have played one of the most iconic villains on screen,
00:29but he is clearly not a fan of real life bad guys.
00:32Back in 2017, while taking a casual stroll near his home in southwest London,
00:36Hardy ran into a man who had allegedly stolen a moped and crashed it into a car.
00:41Channeling his inner action hero, he chased the guy through gardens and across building units
00:46until he eventually caught him. Hardy even gave the alleged thief a quick pat down for weapons
00:51and held him until the police arrived. Safe to say, he is not someone you'd want to cross paths with.
00:56Number 19. Danny Trejo
00:59Los Angeles native Danny Trejo proved he's not just tough on screen
01:03when he helped save a child's life after an accident in 2019.
01:06Trejo was in the Sylmar neighborhood of LA when he witnessed a car run a red light
01:10and crash into another, flipping it upside down.
01:13The grandmother was pinned in, so firefighters had to get her out.
01:16And in the meantime, Trejo and another person pulled that young boy out of the backseat
01:20who was trapped in his car seat.
01:22After spotting a baby strapped to a seat in the overturned car,
01:25Trejo wasted no time and crawled through a window to help.
01:28With the aid of another bystander, they were able to get the boy out safely
01:32before firefighters arrived to free his grandma.
01:34Despite being hailed as a hero, the ever-humble Trejo insisted
01:38the real credit should go to the boy's car seat.
01:45Number 18. Hannah Brown
01:47This Miss Alabama-turned-bachelorette-turned-winner-of-dancing-with-the-stars
01:51can now add a lifesaver to her impressive resume.
01:59In June 2020, while on a rafting trip in Tennessee with their family,
02:03Hannah Brown and her brother spotted a man in serious trouble.
02:06He had fallen overboard and was being dragged downstream by the current.
02:10Without hesitation, they leapt into action, grabbing the stranger
02:13and pulling him onto their raft.
02:15The dramatic rescue, which was captured on a helmet cam,
02:18was narrated on Twitter by the man's grateful girlfriend.
02:34Forget pageants and mirrorball trophies,
02:36this might just be Brown's most heroic title yet.
02:39Number 17. Patrick Dempsey
02:42For about a decade, Patrick Dempsey saved lives on screen
02:45as the dreamy Derek Shepard on Grey's Anatomy.
02:48You're still you?
02:50I'm still me.
02:53Good.
02:54In 2012, Dempsey took his heroics offscreen
02:57when a teenager named Weston Massett lost control of his car while driving,
03:01causing it to flip over in front of his Malibu home and trapping him inside.
03:05Dempsey didn't just watch from the sidelines.
03:07He rushed to the scene with a crowbar and fire extinguisher
03:10and rescued Massett from the wreckage.
03:12Even more, he remained by Massett's side until the paramedics arrived
03:16and airlifted him to the hospital.
03:17I'm just really happy that he was there for me.
03:19Things could have been a lot worse if he didn't save me as soon as he did.
03:22Guess if you play hero long enough, it really sticks with you.
03:25Number 16. Jon Bon Jovi
03:28Some people save lives with their music, others through their actions.
03:31But Jon Bon Jovi proves he can effortlessly do both.
03:34Jon Bon Jovi has been praised by police after he helped a woman in distress.
03:39In September 2024, the rock legend showed he really meant it
03:42when he said he'd be there for you by stepping in to save a woman in crisis.
03:46The woman had climbed onto the ledge of the John Sigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
03:50in Nashville, Tennessee, seemingly with the intention of jumping.
03:53Fortunately, Bon Jovi was shooting a music video on the same bridge and noticed her.
03:58He then walked over and was able to talk her out of her decision.
04:01A true rock star move from a real-life hero.
04:09Number 15. Jeremy Renner
04:11In January 2023, news broke that actor Jeremy Renner
04:15had been in a snowplow accident on New Year's Day that left him in critical condition.
04:19Renner's nephew is heard telling deputies that Renner was helping him
04:23get that pickup truck out of the snow when Renner got out of the plow to check on him,
04:29but the plow kept moving.
04:31But what many do not know is that Renner was actually trying to save his nephew's life
04:34when the accident occurred.
04:36The actor was reportedly pulling his nephew's truck with his snowcat
04:39when he noticed that the vehicle was sliding sideways toward his nephew.
04:43In the process of trying to stop or redirect the truck, Renner was crushed underneath,
04:47suffering blunt chest trauma and breaking over 30 bones.
04:50Thankfully, he was promptly airlifted to the hospital for life-saving surgery
04:54and has since made a full recovery.
05:09Number 14. Julie Bowen
05:11When mini-John collapsed from exhaustion while hiking in Utah,
05:14she certainly didn't expect modern family star Julie Bowen to swoop in and save her life.
05:18But that's exactly how things played out.
05:28While visiting Arches National Park with her family,
05:31John started feeling lightheaded and told them to go ahead without her.
05:34After sitting down to rest, she fainted and fell on her face,
05:37only to be awoken by the sound of Bowen's voice.
05:40The actress and her doctor sister were also hiking in the park
05:43when they noticed John falling and rushed to her rescue.
05:52They assisted with dressing her wounds and helped call her family.
05:55Typical Claire Dumpy, always ready to handle any crisis like a pro.
05:59Number 13. Ray Davies
06:01Known as the godfather of Britpop,
06:03Ray Davies forged a legendary career as the frontman and guitarist
06:07of British rock band The Kinks.
06:11The Kinks
06:16Davies put his life on the line and became an unexpected hero
06:19during a trip to New Orleans in 2004.
06:21While walking with a female companion,
06:23the pair was accosted by two men who attempted to rob them at gunpoint.
06:27When the thieves snatched the lady's bag, Davies didn't hesitate.
06:30He sprinted after them.
06:32However, one of the men turned around and shot him in the leg.
06:41Thankfully, the injury wasn't too serious, and he made a full recovery.
06:45Davies later recounted the wild incident in his 2013 book, Americana.
06:49Number 12. John Malkovich
06:51John Malkovich has played many characters throughout his long career,
06:55but back in 2013, he stepped into the role of an actual hero
06:59when he saved the life of 79-year-old Jim Walpole.
07:02The actor, who played the role of John Malkovich,
07:04was also a member of The Kinks.
07:07A resident of Ohio, Walpole was visiting Toronto with his wife, Marilyn,
07:11when he took a nasty fall outside their hotel
07:13and slashed his throat on some scaffolding.
07:15Things could have easily turned tragic
07:17if Malkovich, who happened to be standing nearby,
07:19hadn't jumped into action.
07:21Along with two other bystanders,
07:23he applied pressure on the wound until paramedics arrived.
07:26Malkovich, however, was able to survive
07:28and was able to return to the hospital in time.
07:30However, he was unable to return to the hospital
07:34He applied pressure on the wound until paramedics arrived.
07:36Walpole was deeply grateful
07:38and initially thought the actor was a doctor
07:40due to his quick thinking.
07:53But nope, he was just being John Malkovich.
07:55Number 11. Arnold Schwarzenegger
07:58Some heroes just never retire.
08:00In 2004, Arnold Schwarzenegger had stepped away from Hollywood
08:04to serve as the governor of California,
08:06but he didn't hang up his action hero cape just yet.
08:08While vacationing in Hawaii that year,
08:10Schwarzenegger spotted a swimmer clinging to a boogie board,
08:13clearly in distress.
08:15Turns out he had suffered cramps all over his body
08:17and couldn't make it back to shore.
08:19Schwarzenegger apparently borrowed another boogie board
08:21and, we imagine, asked the man to come with him if he wanted to live.
08:25He then managed to guide the swimmer back to the safety of the beach,
08:28saving his life in the process.
08:30They don't call him the governator for nothing.
08:34Number 10. Perry Saturn
08:36In 2004, this professional wrestler
08:38encountered two men sexually assaulting a woman.
08:41Wasting no time, Perry Saturn,
08:43real name Perry Sadalo,
08:45fought off the perpetrators and saved the victim.
08:48In the process, however, he was shot multiple times,
08:50including once in the neck and once in the shoulder.
08:53The road to recovery was arduous,
08:55as Sadalo suffered significant injuries,
08:57had no medical insurance,
08:59became homeless,
09:01and ultimately grappled with substance use disorder.
09:05Fortunately, Sadalo would eventually recover
09:07from all of his troubles,
09:09and was able to get back on his feet.
09:12Number 9. T.I.
09:14Standing on the ledge of a 22-story building back in 2010,
09:17a man was prepared to take his own life.
09:19When rapper T.I. heard about the jumper,
09:21he recorded him a special video message.
09:42According to Rolling Stone,
09:43the hip-hop star told the man,
09:51After hearing those heartfelt words,
09:53the man decided that life was indeed worth living.
09:58While T.I.'s personal life hasn't been
10:00without controversy or legal issues,
10:02the rapper did notably prevent a similar situation
10:05involving fellow musician Scott Stapp
10:07four years earlier in Miami.
10:09Number 8. Garth Brooks
10:11Upon spotting a grass fire
10:13heading towards the home of Ryan and Randall Cooper,
10:15Garth Brooks and another Good Samaritan
10:17left into action.
10:19The country singer helped escort the young boys
10:21to a neighbor's truck, getting them out of harm's way.
10:23On top of that, Brooks also pushed
10:25the Cooper's boat away from the raging fire.
10:27As for the Cooper's house,
10:29firefighters arrived in time to prevent the flames
10:31from reaching it.
10:33This gallant act certainly brings a whole new meaning
10:35to Brooks' song, Standing Outside the Fire.
10:39Number 7. Tom Cruise
10:41While driving one evening in Santa Monica,
10:43Tom Cruise came across a woman
10:45who had been struck by an unknown driver.
10:47Cruise immediately pulled over
10:49and called an ambulance,
10:51which he then followed to the hospital.
10:53The woman survived the accident,
10:55but unfortunately had no medical insurance.
10:57Seeing how Cruise reportedly made
10:5970 million dollars that year
11:01for the first Mission Impossible,
11:03he was happy to pay her 7,000 dollar bill.
11:05While the tabloids haven't always been kind
11:07to Mr. Cruise, it's hard to deny
11:09he's a pretty awesome guy after hearing
11:11about this compassionate deed.
11:13Number 6. Jamie Foxx
11:15In early 2016, a car skidded
11:17on a slippery California road
11:19and flipped over. Luckily for the driver
11:21trapped inside, Jamie Foxx just so happened
11:23to live close by.
11:25Now let's talk cam, because that's who you're going for.
11:27You got the dab? Let me see.
11:29This is my dab.
11:31Hearing the accident,
11:33Foxx called 911 and rushed over
11:35to the crash site. Along with an
11:37unidentified companion, the Oscar-winning actor
11:39helped pull Brett Kyle out of the burning
11:41vehicle. They arrived on the scene
11:43just in time, as the car quickly went up
11:45in flames. Being the humble man he is,
11:47Foxx doesn't view himself as a hero,
11:49though Brett's grateful father might say otherwise.
11:51He's not a superhero, but I tell you,
11:53God had his hands on all of us during that.
11:55Number 5. Werner Herzog
11:57You might know of documentary
11:59filmmaker Werner Herzog, and you
12:01almost definitely know who Joaquin Phoenix is.
12:03Back in 2006, the Oscar-winning
12:05actor was unable to hit his car brakes
12:07and overturn the vehicle.
12:25Flipped upside down, Phoenix found
12:27Herzog tapping on the passenger window.
12:29Herzog instructed him to stay calm,
12:31although the grim situation didn't seem to
12:33faze Phoenix. He even attempted to
12:35light up a cigarette while the gas leaked.
12:37Herzog proceeded to pull him to safety
12:39and returned home once Phoenix was in good hands.
12:53This encounter is every bit as
12:55bizarre as it is heroic.
12:57Number 4. Kate Winslet
12:59In August 2011, a tropical storm
13:01ripped through the private Caribbean
13:03island where billionaire Richard Branson
13:05maintained a luxury home.
13:15As luck would have it, Oscar-winning
13:17actress Kate Winslet was staying on the
13:19property when lightning struck the house
13:21and set it ablaze. Winslet swung into
13:23action, helping to evacuate everyone
13:25who was inside. In a standout move,
13:27she carried Branson's then-90-year-old
13:29mother in her arms and rescued her
13:31from the flames.
13:41Branson, who was staying in another property
13:43on the island, credits Winslet with saving
13:45his mother, and he's been singing her praises
13:47ever since.
13:49Number 3. Steve Buscemi
13:51Now, here's a fun fact. Before he was a
13:53well-known character actor, Steve Buscemi
13:55was a New York City firefighter for four years.
13:57Following the September 11th terrorist
13:59attacks, Buscemi chose to take a break
14:01from acting and hopped back on board
14:03Engine 55.
14:17Over several days,
14:19he took 12-hour shifts to help uncover
14:21survivors at Ground Zero. During
14:23one of the darkest periods in American history,
14:25Buscemi truly stepped up and did his part.
14:27Of course, the same can be said
14:29about all those courageous enough to join the
14:31FDNY.
14:43Number 2. Harrison Ford
14:45From Han Solo to Indiana Jones,
14:47Harrison Ford has portrayed some of the most iconic
14:49heroes in cinematic history.
14:51And as on-screen roles, it shouldn't come as
14:53a surprise that Ford is a hero in real life
14:55as well. Being a private pilot,
14:57Ford has been known to provide helicopter
14:59services during times of crisis.
15:01When 20-year-old Sarah George fell ill
15:03during a hike on Table Mountain, Ford
15:05came to the rescue. While flying in
15:07Ford's Bell 407 helicopter,
15:09the dehydrated George got
15:11nauseous. Fortunately, Ford had
15:13a cowboy hat for her to vomit in.
15:15There's a story she'll be telling for the rest of her life.
15:21Number 1. Vin Diesel
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15:33Number 1. Vin Diesel
15:35With the Fast and Furious movies
15:37and several other action flicks,
15:39Vin Diesel has established himself as a badass
15:41in the public's eye.
15:45Even if Diesel never became
15:47a movie star, however, he'd still be a man
15:49of action. While driving his motorcycle
15:51in 2002, Diesel witnessed a car
15:53crash with a family trapped inside.
15:55Diesel not only retrieved two young children
15:57from the back seat, but also guided
15:59the driver out of the car as well.
16:01Not too long after that, the entire vehicle
16:03went up in flames. Though Diesel's
16:05reputation hasn't been completely spotless,
16:07there's no denying that this was a stunt
16:09worthy of Dominic Toretto himself.
16:13Which of these celebrity heroes inspires you
16:15the most? Let us know in the comments below.
16:17Right away, we're told Ford pulled over,
16:19rushed over to her, helped pull her out,
16:21then waited for the paramedics.
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