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Isla Fisher Nearly Drowned While Filming Now You See Me

Isla Fisher Nearly Drowned While Filming Now You See Me

Fisher starred in the 2013 flick as escapist and stage magician Henley Reeves, who in one scene can be seen completing an underwater stunt

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Actor Isla Fisher nearly drowned while filming an underwater scene for Now You See Me, having said she was 'very scared' during the incident.

Fisher, 45, starred in the 2013 flick as escapist and stage magician Henley Reeves, who in one scene can be seen completing an underwater stunt in a tank as an audience cheers her on.

But it turns out that while filming one take, she actually started 'drowning' after getting stuck on a chain.

Speaking to On Demand Entertainment when the film was released, Fisher recalled: "I had a near-death experience.

"I was in a tank of water - my character is submerged in a tank and piranhas are dropped on her head.

"And whilst in there - we shot it over three-and-a-half days - even though I had a quick-release magnetic thing on my handcuffs, the chain that went between my ankles and my wrists was not able to be broken, and it got stuck underneath the slat and I was trapped.

Lionsgate

"Yeah, I was very scared. And I was banging and saying 'Set me free!', but everyone just thought I was doing fabulous acting. They thought I was being Meryl Streep in the tank - actually, I was drowning!

"All I was thinking about was me on the autopsy table, bloated in a swimming costume and heels - and how humiliating that would be."

She continued: "They had walked through all the safety procedures - there was a quick release switch that could have emptied the tank of water in 70 seconds.

"They had all these procedures set up, but I realised we had forgotten one basic thing, which is that you need a safety word or safety signal when things are going wrong."

Lionsgate

Thankfully, she made it out eventually, and later told The Daily Mail: "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."

The story of Fisher's brush was death was recently shared on TikTok by @film.funfacts, racking up three million views and more than 18.4 million views.

Thousands of people commented on the video, with one writing: "That's so scary."

Another person wrote: "Excuse me but establish a safety signal beforehand. Wtf."

A third added: "That's actually so traumatic hold on."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Celebrity, stunt