Keanu Reeves trained with Navy SEALs to prepare for his role in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, ensuring audiences would completely believe in his portrayal of a deadly hitman.
From honing his shooting abilities, to learning how to ‘clear out’ a room, the 54-year-old Matrix actor went to serious lengths for his art.
And he wasn’t alone. The legendary Halle Berry – who will play fellow assassin Sofia in the upcoming neo-noir thriller – has also undergone a grueling training regime.
Check out Berry in action below:
53-year-old Berry is one tough cookie, with a frighteningly good aim with a rifle. And her commitment to the role hasn’t been without pain.
During an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Berry spoke about how she had broken three ribs during rehearsal, an injury she regards as a ‘badge of honour’.
The hard nut Swordfish actor revealed:
So I broke three ribs in rehearsal. But all the stunt guys said they’ve all done it.
That’s part of doing your own stunts and being a stunt woman. Like, I don’t train as an actor. I trained as a stunt woman to be able to do my own fights.
And they were all like, ‘good, now it’s a badge of honour, you’ve done what we’ve all done, good for you, now get back to work!’.
You can watch ballsy Berry’s interview for yourself below:
According to Berry, in order to act in John Wick movies, it is essential that you are prepared to do your own stunts, with director Chad Stahelski
Speaking with Fallon, Berry opened up about the tough training she endured to get in tip-top shape for the role, which included training in aikido, jiu-jitsu and judo.
Berry also trained with Belgian Malinois dogs, who she described as being ‘the smartest, most ferocious, but they’re also cuddly and they’re also very loyal’.
The overall critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes describes John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum as being ‘another hard-hitting round of the brilliantly choreographed, over-the-top action that fans of the franchise demand’.
The IMDb synopsis is as follows:
Super-assassin John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin’s guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head – he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum stars Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry, as well as Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne and Mark Dacascos.
You can catch John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum in cinemas from May 17.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.