Gerard Butler Reveals the Physical Toll His Acting Career Has Taken on Him

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Gerard Butler, known for his roles in movies like 300, Den of Thieves, and How to Train Your Dragon, has discussed the physical strain his action-packed film career has had on his body.

Gerard Butler is currently working to promote the follow-up to his popular 2020 film, Greenland. In Greenland 2: Migration, he reprises his role as John Garrity, a father leading his family as they venture out into a new world after surviving the apocalypse in a bunker. The role demanded a lot of physical strength, just like before.

In an interview with People Magazine about the upcoming movie, Gerard Butler shared that he once considered a career in law instead of acting. He jokingly added that he’d likely be in better physical shape if he had chosen that path, saying, “I wouldn’t be limping this much or be so bent over if I’d stayed a lawyer.”

Acting has been incredibly physically demanding. I wouldn’t be in this much pain if I had continued my career as a lawyer. Though, I suspect I might have struggled with alcohol just as much – I was drinking heavily when I practiced law. Ironically, when I started acting and found work I truly enjoyed, it became much simpler to stop drinking.

I wasn’t happy with that other path. While it might have brought success and financial gain, it wouldn’t have been truly satisfying. This acting career, though, has given me everything I’ve ever wanted and needed – it’s fulfilled my deepest desires and dreams.

Gerard Butler Returns as John Garrity in ‘Greenland 2: Migration’

In Greenland 2: Migration, Gerard Butler returns alongside Morena Baccarin, who played his wife Allison in the first Greenland movie. The role of their son, Nathan, is now played by Roman Griffin Davis, known for his Golden Globe nomination in Jojo Rabbit and his recent work in The Long Walk. He previously was played by Roger Dale Floyd.

Butler discussed the new movie, explaining how it differs from the first one. The original film focused on Garrity’s desperate attempts to find and protect his family after a disaster. While the sequel appears to be set after the initial apocalypse, Garrity still faces a perilous journey through a dangerous landscape.

I really connected with this story because it focuses on family and how people react in those close-knit situations. I found myself imagining what I would do – maybe I’d be the helpful type like Garrity, or perhaps I’d make a less noble choice, like the one who steals the car.

Butler recognizes that real-life disasters test people’s limits, prompting him to consider his own reactions: where he’d go, how he’d cope practically and emotionally, and how he’d survive. Interestingly, making the first Greenland film also led him to a surprisingly hopeful realization about the planet’s ability to recover.

I remember when the first movie was released – it was right at the beginning of the pandemic. I took a road trip in an RV, venturing deep into the mountains of Sedona, Arizona, and actually got lost. Despite being lost, I felt a sense of peace and realized that everything was okay, and that the world could handle anything.

Being in nature feels like coming home, and it definitely helps to improve your outlook. Even when things are tough, it can make them feel a little more manageable.

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2026-01-10 17:48