HOLLYWOOD hunk Gerard Butler cheated death by seconds when a film stunt went wrong.
The Scots actor was trapped underwater for several minutes by fierce waves after taking to the water for a shot.
Butler was eventually rescued by a jetski and rushed by ambulance to hospital, where he stayed overnight.
The filmstar had been shooting a scene for the movie Of Men and Mavericks, about tragic surfer Jay Moriarty who died in 2001 at the age of 22.
Butler was hit by the freak wave at notorious surf spot Mavericks in California on Sunday.
The beach rose to fame as the scene of the death of legendary big wave surfer Mark Foo in 1994.
Local surfer Frank Quirarte told a London-based newspaper: “Butler was held down for a solid two waves and took four or five more waves on the head.
“He was washed through the rocks before he was finally plucked out. When they broughtButlerin, he had that 1000-yard stare that surfers get after a near-death experience.”
Quirarte, who helps run an annual surfing competition at the beach saidButlerhad been desparate to get into the water.
He said: “With the Mavericks big wave season off to a slow start, the film crew were chomping at the bit to get a few days of surfing and filming in.
“Waves were running at 12ft but some large ones got through.”
The Paisley-born actor spent the night in theStanfordMedicalCenterbut hospital bosses have refused to confirm his condition.
