In the Hollywood entertainment business, Keanu Reeves is a seasoned professional who routinely pulls off the majority of his stunts. He is committed to his art and is prepared to risk his safety to provide a quality performance. He performed the majority of his stunts, including the physically taxing and perilous ones, in many of his movies like the John Wick and The Matrix film series.

Hiroyuki Sanada, Keanu Reeves’ co-star in the movie John Wick, also took on several challenging and perilous stunts in several of his films. But there was one such stunt in his movie The Last Samurai that he performed alongside Tom Cruise that could have cost the Mission: Impossible actor dearly due to a mechanical failure that occurred during the stunt.

Keanu Reeves Co-star Hiroyuki Sanada Almost Cost Tom Cruise His Neck

Hiroyuki Sanada is a Japanese actor who has appeared in numerous films and television programs, both domestically and abroad. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the widely popular horror film Ringu and several other American productions, including The Last Samurai, The Wolverine, and 47 Ronin. Sanada rose to international fame as an action star for his roles in multiple martial arts films.

Hiroyuki Sanada is a talented performer who is renowned for his physical abilities, aggressive acting, and command of the English language. However, though the actor is famously known for his ability to perform difficult stunts and tricks in any given situation, his one stunt in the movie The Last Samurai alongside Tom Cruise took a turn for the worse. Though no one was hurt, it was a dangerous stunt.
Hiroyuki Sanada in The Last Samurai (Credit: WB)

Hiroyuki Sanada could have decapitated Tom Cruise in a horse-riding accident. The accident occurred during the filming of a scene in which Cruise was riding a robotic horse through a forest. Sanada was also riding a robotic horse in the scene, and the two horses collided. Sanada’s horse experienced a mechanical issue and did not come to a complete stop where it was supposed to.
“We were filming one day, and I was on a mechanical horse, and Hiro was on one as well. He was approaching me when his horse suddenly struck me, and his sword was exactly here (points an inch from his neck).”
Sanada and Cruise were both rattled up despite not being hurt in the collision. It was looked into by the movie’s creators and was declared as just that, an accident. In a later interview, Sanada expressed his regret for the collision to which Cruise replied with gratitude and claimed that he was looking forward to working with him again if the opportunity arose.

Tom Cruise and His Logic Defying Stunts

Tom Cruise is renowned for pulling out his own stunts, even the riskiest and most absurd ones. There are many instances of Cruise’s numerous life-threatening antics. According to him, he does his own stunts to offer the viewer the most immersive and authentic experience possible. He also thinks performers must have intellectual and physical challenges.

Both reviewers and viewers have complimented Cruise’s daredevil work. Others who feel that he is placing himself at needless risk have condemned them as well. However, Cruise has asserted that he is not scared to take chances and that he is prepared to go to any lengths to ensure the quality of his productions.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is undoubtedly one of the most audacious and courageous performers in Hollywood, whether one likes him or not. His willingness to perform his own stunts demonstrates his passion for his art and desire to provide fans with a memorable cinematic experience. His status as the highest-paid actor in Hollywood was rightfully earned by him, and he will retain the spot for quite some while.