Austin Butler provides details on the bike riding accident he got into while filming The Bikeriders. Directed by Jeff Nichols, The Bikeriders is an upcoming action movie that follows the story of a motorcycle gang that is slowly transformed into an increasingly dangerous and violent culture. In addition to Butler, the leading cast of The Bikeriders includes Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reeddus, and Boyd Holbrook.

As per Virgin Radio, Butler details an accident he got into while filming for The Bikeriders. According to the actor, the accident in question happened on a rainy day at “about three in the morning.” Someone on set told Butler that if the bike he was using happened to start, “just take off and [then] turn around” before the railroad tracks. When the bike did start, Butler proceeded into the darkness, intending to pull over right before the train tracks. When he approached, however, he hit wet leaves and fell off the bike. Check out Butler’s full story below:

It had been raining in the day, and it was about three in the morning.

We were doing a scene where it’s the last scene I have with Tom, and the bike was cold. [Advisers on set] said ‘The bike won’t start, but try to kick start it. It’s not going to start, but if it happens to start, you just take off and you turn around before you hit the railroad tracks.’

And so I got on the bike, we did a scene… I kicked the bike and it started on the first go! So I took off and I go driving down the road, looking for the railroad tracks… right around that time, there’s these pockets of street lamps and then darkness, and I’m in one of those pockets of darkness.

I started to go over to the right hand side of the road, and I didn’t realise that they had pushed all the wet leaves to the right hand side, and when you hit wet leaves on a motorcycle, it’s like you’re on ice.

And so the back tire just started to fishtail. I surfed the bike sideways for a while and then I jumped off, but I landed on my feet. I was okay!

Austin Butler Has Been Involved in Extreme Roles Lately

Ultimately, Butler “was okay” despite the fall during the accident, likely aided by the fact that he “landed on [his] feet.” Even though this scene was not intended to be a fall, the story does indicate that a lot of the motorcycle riding in The Bikeriders is done by the actors themselves, rather than a stunt team. This fact will likely help The Bikeriders succeed, as the story can rely upon its A-list actors instead of more intense special effects and camera tricks.

Though the action in The Bikeriders sounds intense, it is far from the only high-energy role that the actor has had recently. In Masters of the Air, Butler had to undergo flight training to play a World War II bombing squad member, which involved intense shooting. Even Dune: Part Two had physically demanding aspects to it, as a lot of the film was shot in the heat of the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan.

A lot of this intensity is fitting for who Butler has so far proven himself to be as an actor. With his big break in Elvis, Butler became notorious for his steadfast commitment to embodying the King, especially in his voice. Butler’s dedication extended so far that he often had Elvis in his voice still during interviews for months after. While a vastly different type of role, it seems like The Bikeriders is no exception when it comes to immersive and demanding Butler roles. At least it sounds like Butler has come out of this one without lasting impacts.

Source: Virgin Radio