Austin Butler, known for his dedication to performing his own stunts, disclosed that he suffered a torn rotator cuff caused by a pitbull during the filming of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s intense final fight scene. The event took place while shooting in 2019, where Butler’s character, Tex Watson, is attacked by Brad Pitt’s character, Cliff Booth, and his pitbull, Brandy.
Butler recounted the injury happened during rehearsals, explaining how the dog’s grip ended up seriously damaging his shoulder.
In rehearsals, he got me in such a way that he tore my rotator cuff,
the actor revealed during the Men’s Health Stunt School series on August 19.
Details of the Dangerous Stunt
Butler described the scene where his character enters the house holding a gun, using his left hand because of the camera angle. The pitbull was supposed to leap from a chair and bite his left arm. To prepare, the stunt team wrapped Butler’s hand in leather to allow the 80-pound dog to grip his arm securely.
Due to the injury, Butler had to switch to using his right arm during the actual filming.
He was very strong. And so then we did it on the right arm on the day,
Butler explained.
And I realized I need to hold on tight, otherwise he’s going to rip my arm off.
Fortunately, Butler’s stunt double, Braxton McAllister, performed the part where the dog bites the character in the groin, sparing Butler from further injury.
Original Vision Versus Final Fight Scene
Director Quentin Tarantino initially envisioned a much longer fight sequence as the climax, which depicts Watson and other Manson Family members mistakenly invading the home of Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth instead of their intended target, Sharon Tate.
However, the fight was shortened after Tarantino reconsidered the believability of Butler’s character as a fighter against Pitt’s Cliff Booth, who is portrayed as a special forces veteran.
When we got there, [Tarantino] said, ‘You know what? It doesn’t make sense for you to be a good fighter,’
Butler recalled.
Brad’s character is, like, a special forces guy, so if he can’t take you out quickly, then it doesn’t feel right.
The scene’s reworking kept the important dramatic punch despite the cuts, reflecting the real historical horror of the 1969 Manson Family murders while focusing on its narrative impact. Charles Manson died in 2017 while serving multiple life sentences related to these crimes.
Butler’s Passion for Stunts and Riding Horses
Beyond the fighting scene, Butler expressed how fulfilling his experience on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was, both emotionally and physically, highlighting his enjoyment of performing stunts and horseback riding for the role.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was a dream come true in so many ways,
Butler said.
I was able to do a lot of different fun things in this movie.
He shared memories of a particularly exciting horseback riding sequence at the film’s opening, where despite challenges, he embraced the thrill of riding, even on concrete surfaces. Butler noted,
The day that Quentin cast me, he said, ‘You know I got this idea where you take off on this horse,’
he recounted.
riding on concrete for about half of the take.
The stunt team warned him about the poor traction horses have on concrete and advised him to proceed cautiously, but Butler charged ahead at full speed when Tarantino arrived.
I kicked up that horse and we went as fast as we possibly could,
he said, adding that seeing his grandfather smile made the moment even more special.
The Significance of Butler’s Commitment
Austin Butler’s willingness to perform demanding and risky stunts, including working with a powerful dog and riding horses under challenging conditions, reveals his deep commitment to authentic acting and physical storytelling. His injury during the pitbull stunt underscores the risks stunt performers and actors take to create memorable scenes.
The adjustments made by the director to better suit Butler’s character demonstrate a focus on narrative authenticity, balancing thrilling action with character realism. Moving forward, Butler’s experience highlights the importance of stunt safety and the collaborative efforts involved in staging intense cinematic moments.
