Many people think that celebrities are, well, a little bit soft. After all, they live lives of luxury, able to get anything they need at a moment's notice (as well as a whole bunch of stuff they really don't even need). And, since they're paid the big bucks and worth a lot on set, they often don't put themselves in harm's way there either. While there are a few celebrities who are really into doing their own stunts, at least the minor ones, the vast majority allow a professional stunt double to do all the dangerous stuff on set while they watch from the sidelines.
However, that doesn't mean that celebrities can't gather up their inner strength if they're faced with a situation that requires their attention. In fact, there are quite a few celebrities who have not only played heroes on screen but have become heroes in real life and actually saved people. Often, it's just a question of being in the right place at the right time, but let's be honest — they easily could have just called an ambulance or medical professional and waited. Instead, most of these celebs rolled up their sleeves and jumped right into things, making sure everyone got out alive.
Here are 15 celebs who are straight up heroes IRL.
15 Ken Jeong Put His Medical Skills To Good Use And Helped An Audience Member During A Standup Performance
In case you didn't know, Ken Jeong actually worked as a legit doctor before he decided to put his medical career on pause and head into the entertainment industry. It's a pretty unusual thing — while there are certainly celebrities who have careers before becoming entertainers, becoming a doctor takes a whole lot of time and effort, so you really have to want to become a comedian to give all that up. However, Ken Jeong seems to find his medical training coming in handy more often than you might assume — including during live performances. On May 5, 2018, Jeong was in Phoenix performing a stand-up routine in front of a laughing audience. While he was still on stage, someone in the audience had a seizure — and Jeong immediately rushed off the stage, made his way over to her, and worked with an EMT to help keep her stable. Then, once he was certain that the woman would be okay and was heading to a hospital, he got right back on stage and continued his performance. Talk about keeping cool under pressure! Honestly, we'd love to see Jeong combine his comedy skills with his medical training and play a hilarious on-screen doctor. He could even give notes on the script based on his expertise!
14 Kate Winslet Helped Get Richard Branson's Mother Out Of A Burning Building
When Kate Winslet agreed to stay at Sir Richard Branson's mansion on Necker Island, she likely never would have anticipated a natural disaster would occur that required some quick thinking — but you just never know what's going to happen! She was enjoying some relaxing time in the Caribbean when Hurricane Irene hit, and a bolt of lightning ended up striking the house and causing the building to go up in flames! Winslet could have easily made it out on her own, but she was worried about Branson's mother Eve, who was also in the mansion at the time. While Branson's mother was mobile, she couldn't move quite as quickly as the younger Kate Winslet, and Winslet decided to be proactive and just scoop Eve up and ensure she got out to safety. She likely could have made it out on her own, but you just never know with something as unpredictable as a fire — maybe those few extra minutes it would have been all it took for the flames to catch up to her! Either way, we're pretty sure that Kate Winslet has a lifetime VIP pass to Necker Island now, after saving Branson's mother — that's not the kind of thing you forget!
13 Mark Harmon Used A Sledge Hammer To Rescue Two Teenage Boys From A Burning Car
You may not have heard of this incident since it took place way back in 1996 before Mark Harmon was on everyone's television screens weekly as a cast member on NCIS. According to Yahoo, Harmon witnessed a car accident that took place in front of his home — and it wasn't just your regular fender bender or clipped mirror. It was a serious accident, and he quickly realized that he would need to take action — he couldn't just wait for help to arrive. So, he grabbed a sledgehammer from his home (not sure why he had one laying around, but hey, perhaps he's more of a handyman than we thought), and used it to break open the windows of the car, which was actually on fire. Then, the young actor pulled the two teenage boys who were in the car out, got them away from the flaming vehicle, and ensured they were safe (and obviously probably called the fire department or ambulance at that point). You've got to hand it to him — that must have been a super scary situation, but he did what had to be done and saved those two teen boys, who probably became Mark Harmon fans for life after that!
12 John Barrowman Chased An Intruder Through A Hotel And Took Him Down
John Barrowman may not quite be such a well-known name as some of the other A-Listers who walk the red carpet on a regular basis, but fans of Doctor Who or Torchwood will know exactly who this star is. And, it turns out, he's a bit of a hero in real life. Barrowman was apparently staying at a hotel in Glasgow when he heard a woman screaming for help. Scary, right? While some people might be inclined to just call the front desk and report a disturbance, or even call the police to tell them to get to the hotel ASAP, Barrowman is more of a hands-on kind of guy. He quickly sprinted out of his hotel room, found the source of the screams, and worked with the concierge to take down the guy who was threatening the woman. He even went so far as to grab him by the ankles when he was trying to escape in the elevator, and drag him back into the hallway to wait until the police arrive. But that's not where Barrowman's story ends — it turns out, the man trying to rob the woman was just a teenage boy, and Barrowman offered him a job working in a play so that he could stop his life of crime. A hero and a mentor!
11 Harrison Ford Frequently Rescues Hikers Near His Home — Often Using His Helicopter
For those who may not know, when he's not in Hollywood attending awards shows or filming somewhere in the world, Harrison Ford makes his home on a ranch in Jackson, Wyoming. He's just a man living the simple country life! And, given his slightly rural location, he often steps up to help when people run into trouble in the wild. One particular situation involved a lost teenage boy — a Boy Scout camping trip went south when a boy got lost in Yellowstone National Park. After hearing what happened, Ford hopped into his helicopter, went searching, and eventually found the boy (spotted in the picture above) and brought him back to safety. Uh, can you imagine being rescued by Indiana Jones? What a crazy experience! He also saved two college students who were on a hike in Idaho and ended up getting severely dehydrated and suffering from altitude sickness. Forget acting — Harrison Ford should just set up a search and rescue business. I mean, he clearly loves being outdoors and in nature — and he clearly has a knack for finding people (and endless resources to get any kind of tools he might need). Perhaps that will be his next business venture.
10 Jamie Foxx Pulled A Man Out Of A Burning Vehicle
Jamie Foxx is a many of many talents. He can act, he can sing, he can dance — and apparently, he can rescue people! Foxx is yet another celebrity who encountered the situation of someone crashing right near his home (perhaps this keeps happening so much because all the celebrities live in luxe neighborhoods that people love to drive around in and daydream about owning those huge homes?). And, the crash was severe enough that the car ended up bursting into flames basically the moment he crashed. So, after quickly calling 911 to report the situation and get some help, Foxx raced out to the crash site and quickly pulled the man out of the burning car to safety. He stayed by his side and helped him however he could until the medical professionals arrive and were able to take him to the hospital. Talk about a crazy story! We can't imagine what must have been going through Foxx's head when he heard the noise and went to investigate, only to find a burning car and a man that needed saving! He's definitely a man who can think quickly on his feet because that's a pretty intense and scary position to be in.
9 Clint Eastwood Performed The Heimlich On Someone Choking At A Party
Okay, to be honest, if we would have guessed a celebrity who managed to pull someone out of a burning car, Clint Eastwood would have been one of the first that came to mind. I mean, he's seriously intimidating, and seems like the kind of guy that could tackle any scary situation! It would just be like another scene from one of his movies. However, his rescue story is a little posher. Apparently, Eastwood was mingling with the crowd at a party before the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Everyone was having a great time, enjoying some drinks and canapes when Eastwood looked over and saw tournament director Steve John choking. So, he did what any action star would do — gave him the Heimlich. John told his story to the Associated Press, saying "I was drinking water and eating these little appetizers, threw down a piece of cheese and it just didn't work. I was looking at him and couldn't breathe. He recognized it immediately and saved my life. I can't believe I'm 202 pounds and he threw me up in the air three times." Talk about a hero! And, it just goes to show that everyone should be trained to do the Heimlich — you just never know when someone will eat something and have it go down the wrong pipe.
8 Prince Harry Helped A Fellow Polo Player Who Was Knocked Off His Horse During A Match
It's not as if we need another reason to be obsessed with Prince Harry, but nevertheless, there is one — in addition to being a hero in his military career, he also puts his skills to use in real life. Since he's spent time in the British Army, Prince Harry apparently has knowledge of basic trauma care, given so he'd be able to help anyone in a sticky situation until more trained personnel could arrive. Well, he put that training to good use in a polo game back in 2012. Harry was one of the players on the field, and a fellow player ended up getting knocked off his horse and fell to the ground, unconscious. Talk about a terrifying situation! Luckily, Harry was there, and he jumped into action, flipping the player over so that he was at an angle that prevented choking, and carefully massaging his neck until he regained consciousness. Since things ended up turning out alright, we're betting that guy tells this story time and time again — I mean, how many people can claim they've been saved by literal Royalty? Especially with the Royal wedding buzz, we have a feeling that polo player milked that story for months!
7 Garth Brooks Saved Two Young Boys From A House Fire In Oklahoma
There are a lot of country stars who have gotten a bit of a bad rap over the years because of their drinking and womanizing, but Garth Brooks definitely isn't one of them. He's an absolute legend in the music industry and has been rocking it for decades now. And, it turns out, he's just as amazing in real life as he is in the recording booth. Back in 2003, while he was over at his in-laws' home in Oklahoma, he spotted a house on fire nearby. While you might assume that the person in the house called the fire department and that help was on the way, it's always better to be safe than sorry. So, Brooks raced over there, pounded on the door until it was answered, and made sure everyone inside knew they needed to get out. After all, if the fire started in a part of the house far from where they were, they may not even realize until it was too late (especially if they didn't have good smoke detectors). Brooks ended up getting two young boys out, brothers who were 10 and 14 at the time. We have a feeling those parents were mighty thankful for Garth Brooks.
6 Gerard Butler Pulled A Drowning Boy Out Of The Water In Scotland
We're not sure it's because of his strong physique or his Scottish brogue, but one thing is for sure — Gerard Butler has been in his fair share of action movies, where he's performed all kinds of stunts on screen (often with the help of a stunt double). However, it turns out that his on-screen persona isn't too far from his real-life person — he's a hero both in real life and in the world of whatever fictional characters he plays. Way, way back in 1997, before he was a household name, Butler was hanging out in Scotland with his mother at Taymouth Castle when a young boy started screaming for help, saying that his friend was in trouble. As Butler's mom said to The Herald, "the next thing I knew, Gerard was racing along the riverbank. He saw the boy under the water and dived in. He swam to the side and got the water out of his lungs." Butler was insanely humble in his own quote to the newspaper, saying that "I wouldn't call myself a hero, I just acted instinctively. When I brought him out he was lifeless. I'm just glad he's all right now." What a crazy story!
5 Vin Diesel Pulled An Entire Family From A Burning Car After It Crashed
Okay, honestly — it seems positively shocking the number of burning car crashes that celebrities come across. Perhaps people just drive a little more recklessly in Hollywood! Vin Diesel definitely knows his way around a car after being in the Fast and the Furious franchise for so many films, but he had to put his knowledge to the test back in 2001 when he witnessed a car crash in Hollywood. Diesel raced over to the car, and as People reports, quickly managed to get all the family members out before the car eventually burst into flames. It just goes to show that sometimes, you really have to think on your feet and just act on instinct. If he would have decided to just wait and call an ambulance, that car may very well have burst into flames before the ambulance even arrived, giving the people who had just suffered through a car crash even more serious, potentially fatal, injuries. Instead, they were already brought to safety by the time the truly disastrous occurred and likely were able to just get stitched up and checked out at the nearest hospital. Perhaps after that situation, Diesel felt a whole lot more comfortable doing his own stunts — nothing's as scary as a real-life accident!
4 A Teenage John Krasinski Pulled A Woman From A Riptide In Costa Rica
If you would have asked us a few years ago to imagine John Krasinski as a hero, we just wouldn't have been able to do it. After all, he became a household name playing the loveable goofball Jim Halpert on The Office. While he's an amazing guy, you don't expect Jim to be an action star. However, after that show wrapped, Krasinski started taking on more and more action roles, showing an entirely different side of himself to the public. And, it turns out, he has a heroic story of his own that took place way back when he was just a teenager. You see, after high school, Krasinski spent a few months in Costa Rica, where he ended up stumbling upon a scary situation. He told his story to Playboy, saying that "one of the places I went was this amazing beach called Manuel Antonio that I didn't realize had an insane riptide. While I was swimming there — this is a story I've never told anybody — this Costa Rican girl and an American guy were swimming right next to me, and we were knee-deep. I went underwater for a second and when I came back up he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Literally, in three seconds the girl had been swept 150 yards out." Luckily, since his mom was a lifeguard, Krasinski was a really strong swimmer — and he ended up saving her!
3 Supermodel Heidi Klum Saved Her Oldest Son And Two Nannies From A Riptide
Heidi Klum has spent a ton of time on beaches around the world, posing in swimwear during her successful modeling career. However, she was faced with a much different beach experience when she was on vacation in Hawaii back in 2013. She was playing in the water with her oldest son and the two nannies who had accompanied her family on the trip, and a riptide ended up sucking her son and the nannies into the ocean. Klum's mama bear instincts kicked into gear, and she got to work pulling them all out of the water like a legit lifeguard. She discussed the situation with People, saying that "of course, as a mother, I was very scared for my child and everyone else in the water" but that luckily "we were able to get everyone out safely." Uh, we know that Pamela Anderson is viewed as the ultimate beach babe lifeguard thanks to her time on Baywatch, but someone needs to give Heidi Klum her own reboot. I mean, the Rock managed to bring it back on the big screen — perhaps Heidi can bring the lifeguard babes back to television. We'd totally watch that. Who knew Heidi Klum was such a total rock star?
2 Ryan Gosling Pulled A British Journalist Back From Walking Into Traffic
We always kind of wondered what it must be like to be in a place where everything seems like it's on the wrong side, such as when Brits come to the United States. Well, journalist Laurie Penny had a terrifying real-life situation that proved what a different world America was. She was visiting New York City, and when she went to cross Sixth Avenue, she quickly glanced the wrong way to make sure no cars were coming. The problem was, she made sure no cars were coming from the British side of the road — not from the direction that American cars would zoom up. She stepped out, and almost got hit, but thankfully an American ended up pulling her back in time. Who was the hero? None other than Ryan Gosling. Penny took to Twitter after the situation happened, saying that "I literally, LITERALLY just got saved from a car by Ryan Gosling. That actually just happened." I mean, that's the kind of story that you can tell for years! Penny likely does a better job looking in both directions before braving traffic now, after that scary incident, but still — if you have to have a near-death experience, Ryan Gosling is basically the best person to save you.
1 Tom Cruise Sent His Raft To A Burning Sailboat To Rescue The People On Board
Tom Cruise is no stranger to action movies — he's made a career of starring in them for decades now. And, it turns out, playing all those heroic cameras who do all sorts of crazy feats on camera just might have rubbed off on him after all these years. Cruise was in the Mediterranean way back in 1996 when he spotted a burning sailboat across the water. Seems like something straight out of an action flick, right? And, just like a hero would do on screen, Cruise quickly grabbed a drifting raft he had on board and got his crew to pick up all the people who had abandoned the burning boat and were just floating around in the water, desperate. Okay, he didn't actually swim out and save them all single-handedly, but it still counts! If he was a regular guy and not Tom Cruise, he may not have had such a big crew on board, and it may have been a lot tougher to get every single one of the five people overboard. Talk about a real-life Mission Impossible! After that situation, we're pretty sure he always has a few extra life jackets and floatation devices on board, just in case he ever encounters a situation like that again.
References: ranker.com, people.com
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