In a franchise that relied so heavily on special effects and camera tricks, it’s interesting to hear that Keanu Reeves did all of his own stunts in The Matrix and its sequels. People run on walls, jump from buildings, fly, and get into plenty of fights, but Reeves did it all.
While CGI-enhanced, the films still needed an actor in the harness, even if he isn’t actually doing slow-motion flips. Reeves showed off plenty of reasons why he deserves to be a star in these movies, as well as in other action films such as Point Break, Speed, and the John Wick movies.
Buster Keaton
The name Buster Keaton might not come to mind if we asked you to think of wild actors, but it's been said that this silent-era leading man was fearless. He was one of the biggest stars of the early Hollywood scene, and since movies couldn't rely on special effects (unless you count rudimentary camera tricks), most of the things you see on screen really happened, which led to plenty of ultra-dangerous stunts that Keaton faced down with aplomb.
Most famously, in the (very) early blockbuster The General, Keaton rode on the cowcatcher of a full-speed locomotive as it barreled down the track.
Kristen Stewart
When the Twilight “films” launched Kristen Stewart to...well, not stardom, but people at least knew who she was, it was a bit of a surprise to find she did all her own stunts. Yes, she managed to spend that much time around Robert Pattinson without help. Stunts in the Twilight series were minimal, but she did them all.
While her acting skills didn't really impress anyone, her ability to do her own stunts got her cast in Charlie's Angels as well as Snow White and the Huntsman. Rewatch either of those films with an eye on Stewart's stunts, and you might have a new appreciation for this actress.
Jackie Chan
Is there anyone in Hollywood more famous for taking his life into his own hands than Jackie Chan? From martial arts master to comedy hero to anything else, Chan has wowed audiences with stunts that turn the stomach.
While this hasn't held perfectly true as he's aged – the years make moving a little harder sometimes – Chan made his bones in the industry by breaking them – seriously if there's a bone in his body, it's probably gotten injured. Throw on a classic Chan film and watch him wow as he does it all on his own.
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford has become one of the classic action stars of Hollywood thanks to his roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones. There are plenty of other examples – his list of famous roles runs the gamut from science-fiction to war thriller, to thriller, and he's even had a few chances to be the bad guy.
His roles are often physically demanding, but he did pretty much all of his own stunts for a lot of the films (though not all of them – especially these days), and has the injuries to prove it. The Indiana Jones movies in particular helped Ford get his lumps.