True Hollywood stunt masters

From Natalie Portman's ballet dancing to Angelina Jolie's hand-to-hand combat, a few actors who give their stunt doubles a run for their money.

Natalie Portman's stunt double in Black Swan, Sarah Lane, caused an uproar recently by telling Entertainment Weekly that the Oscar winner's dancing effort only amounted to five per cent of the full body shots in the film. The studio Fox Searchlight has issued a statement saying that Portman did most of the dancing in the final film herself. Here are five other actors who turned in impressive physical performances.

Take Five... Burt Lancaster

As well as his famed acting ability, Lancaster was a professional acrobat before jumping to the big screen. On the publicity trail for The Flame and the Arrow, Lancaster wowed journalists by perching on poles and recreating some of his own stunts used in the film.

Take Four... Buster Keaton

One of cinema's first action heroes, and before the big budgets and special effects, Keaton pulled off daring stunts such as having the facade of a building fall on him in 1928's Steamboat Bill Jr.

Take Three... Burt Reynolds

Reynolds's physical courage earned him his first roles in action films. He canoed down a raging river in Deliverance and leapt from a hotel in Sharky's Machine.

Take Two... Jason Statham

A former Olympic diver, Statham is used to putting his body on the line. In Crank, he rode a motorcycle at speed through LA's streets in nothing but a hospital gown.

Take One... Angelina Jolie

In Salt, Angelina Jolie proves she can be as daring as the next man. Some of her stunts included hand-to-hand combat and leaping off an overpass.

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