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‘I almost took her eye out’: Gerard Butler sent Hilary Swank to hospital during filming of ‘PS I Love You’

The actor said that the incident left him crying alone in the studio

Megan Graye
Thursday 26 January 2023 11:44 GMT
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Gerard Butler recalls sending Hilary Swank to hospital during filming of ‘PS I love You’

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Gerard Butler has shared a previously unknown story from his time filming PS. I Love You.

Apparently, the actor almost took out co-star Hilary Swank’s eye out in one of the scenes.

In the 2007 rom com, Butler plays Swank’s on-screen husband, Gerry, who leaves her letters after he dies.

Speaking to Drew Barrymore as a guest on her show, Butler recalled the moment from the scene where he dances around in Irish themed boxers and braces.

“I literally shot that scene for like a day and a half and I had to dance like an idiot in the suspenders,” he told Barrymore.

The actor explained how he had to get the crocodile clip attached to him to ping off his boxers.

“The camera people had these plastic fronts to protect themselves from this crocodile [clip]because it was so dangerous,” he said.

“I had to ping it so it would go past my face,” he said “This time I’m crawling towards the bed, it gets stuck, it releases – boom – flies over my head and hits her in the head.”

Co-stars Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank
Co-stars Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank (Getty Images)

“It slashes her head, I cut her open, you can even see the teeth of the clip,” he said, explaining the extent of her cut.

“She has to get taken to hospital,” he recalled. “Imagine a studio and in three seconds everybody’s gone and I’m just sitting there in my Irish boxer shorts, boots and a pair of socks.”

“I just started crying,” he admitted. “I just scarred Hilary Swank! I almost took her eye out and I just made a fool of myself for two days and this is all I have to show for it!”

Butler said that the incident had made him feel like he shouldn’t have been cast: “Talk about imposter syndrome, I shouldn’t be in this movie. I don’t deserve it! I knew this was going to happen.”

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