Pop Culture
TV & MoviesCelebrityBest of the InternetAnimalsMusicRewindBooksLGBTQQuizzes
LatestTrendingFoodLoveTriviaQuiz PartyShopping
LatestGift GuidesHomeFashionTechBeauty & Personal CareKidsPetsSex ToysSports & FitnessStoresSubscriptionsBuzzFeed MerchVideo
LatestCocoa ButterNEW!Mom In ProgressWorth ItUnsolved True CrimeUnsolved SupernaturalMultiplayerPero LikeLifestyle
As/Is: StyleBringMe: TravelGoodful: WellnessNifty: DIYParentsFoodWeddingsSex And LoveNEW!Community
What is Community?Join Community!Featured PostsLeaderboardGift Guides
Amazing Gifts For EveryoneCovetable Holiday GiftsGifts For Your Entire ListGifts Kids Will Totally LoveTotally Amazing Kitchen FindsUltimate Gifts For KidsBest Gifts For Beauty And StyleGifts To Please Your CrowdFrom Our Partners
Science Will WinHey BaeStudy BreakBeauty & Style BuzzHolidays Make Us Feel GoodCalling All Travel LoversAbout
About UsAdvertiseInvestor RelationsJobsNewslettersEditionUSUKAustraliaBrasilCanadaDeutschlandIndiaJapanLatamCalifornia residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2021 BuzzFeed, Inc PressRSSPrivacyConsent PreferencesUser TermsAccessibility StatementAd ChoicesHelpContactSitemapBuzzFeed NewsReporting on what you care about. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing.BuzzFeed TastySearch, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place!BuzzFeed GoodfulSelf care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life.BuzzFeed Bring MeObsessed with travel? Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me!BuzzFeed As IsSomething for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity.TV and Movies·Posted 20 minutes agoIdris Elba Thought He Got Shot While He Was Filming "American Gangster"
"Idris thought he'd been shot and dropped to the sidewalk and said, 'I've been shot!'"
by Alex GurleyBuzzFeed Contributor
FacebookPinterestTwitterMailLink
Idris Elba had a scary moment on the set of American Gangster.
Jeff Spicer / Getty Images
While Idris was working on the 2007 flick, he had to film a scene where he was shot in the head by Denzel Washington's character Frank.
Universal / ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Although Denzel was using an empty gun with a solid filled-in barrel, the recoil was enough to make Idris believe he'd really been shot.
Gregg Deguire / WireImage
"[Frank] goes down the street and Idris Elba is standing there saying, 'Hey, what are you going to do, shoot me, Frank? Go on, shoot me Frank in front of all these people.' And he just goes boom and shoots him on the spot," director Ridley Scott told The Daily Mail of the scene.
Netflix/Universal Pictures / Via netflix.com
Ridley explained that before filming he had asked Idris to lean his head into the empty gun in order to add realism — but Idris didn't know the recoil would truly shock him.
Netflix/Universal Pictures / Via netflix.com
"What happened was I said to Idris, 'Listen, when he puts the gun to your head, lean on the gun.' Because, by the way, this is a gun with a solid barrel; there is no aperture. I would never risk it. But when you pull the trigger there's a recoil. There's no blank, nothing. So I said, 'I want you to lean on the gun,'" Ridley explained.
Netflix/Universal Pictures / Via netflix.com
He continued, "He pulled the trigger and it goes bang. Idris thought he'd been shot and dropped to the sidewalk and said, 'I've been shot!'"
Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images
While Idris must have had a scary few moments, firearms expert Paul Biddiss, who works with Ridley, reiterated that the actor was never in danger and explained how it worked.
Universal / ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
"He is very hot on safety. What he was referring to by a solid barrel is a completely filled in barrel that no bullet would be able to pass through, so it was a completely deactivated impractical gun as far as firing anything was concerned," Paul shared.
Universal / ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
He added, "He was still able to create a recoil effect for the film's purposes by using something used in films called a UTM round which can be put in a weapon that has had the barrel completely filled, and it still causes a blowback. It is like a small silver case with compressed air that reacts. It can be used repeatedly for a recoil effect each time."
Universal / ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Although Idris was never in danger, it definitely sounds like it was a scary situation for him!
Share This Article
FacebookPinterestTwitterMailLinkTV and Movies
Get all the best moments in pop culture & entertainment delivered to your inbox.
Newsletter signup formYour email address (required)Sign up