Bruce Willis saved Gerard Butler from an 'annoying woman'

Olympus Has Fallen poster starring Butler

The 'Olympus Has Fallen' actor was locked in a one-sided conversation with a rambling female at the Oscars after party earlier this year and he was thrilled when the 'Die Hard' legend intervened and rescued him from the awkward situation.

He said: "Bruce Willis, I love him. He's a bad-ass and so smart, yet so raw. He always has that glint in his eye and that curled-up smile on the side of his mouth.

"We were at an Oscars party this year and this incredibly annoying woman would not shut up. He came over and grabbed me and said he had something to tell me. Of course, I was thinking, 'Wow, Bruce Willis! This is going to be really important.' But he said, 'I was just coming to rescue you from that girl.' I said, 'You are the f**king dude, man! I love you.' "

Despite being a tough guy on screen in the action blockbuster, Gerard says he doesn't share any qualities with his world-saving character.

He admitted: "I am cowardly and a whiner."

Pierce Brosnan kicked Gerard Butler’s ass while filming “Shuttered”

Gerard Butler and Pierce Brosnan

Scottish actor Gerard Butler recalls getting all banged up by his Irish counterpart Pierce Brosnan a few years back when they were filming Butterfly on a Wheel, which was renamed Shuttered for its 2007 U.S. release.

Though the film didn’t make much of an impression, Butler was left with a painful remembrance long after production shut down – a busted neck and some broken ribs.

Brosnan and Butler were shooting a chase scene in Vancouver, with Pierce behind the wheel of a Range Rover.  Pierce wound up losing control of the fancy car and crashing right into a wall, and Butler still vividly recalls the pain.

"Pierce ended up driving straight towards a wall and didn't apply the brakes in time and smashed right into it," Butler explains. "Initially we were fine, but I quickly realized my neck was out, my ribs came out, pretty painful stuff.”

Butler is no stranger to Ireland or Irish parts – he played the male lead in the film version of Cecelia Ahern’s best-selling Irish novel P.S. I Love You, also in 2007. The movie, which also starred Hilary Swank, saw Butler convert his Scottish brogue to an Irish one, and the results weren’t pretty.  
Now he’s getting a chance to put things right – kinda – by playing a crazy leprechaun in the upcoming film Movie 43, an ensemble comedy spoof which is due on January 25.

"Well I sounded like a leprechaun in P.S., why not give it a go for real," Butler says.

"That was literally one day on set and I keep forgetting that I did that film, but I can't wait for the reaction. It's either going to be a triumph or a disaster."

Gerard Butler says his wild days are behind him

Gerard Butler

The 43-year-old Scottish stud has given up on womanizing and partying since meeting his model girlfriend Madalina Ghenea earlier this year and admits nowadays he is more likely to be found tucked up in bed reading a good book.

He said: "I think I've had that going on for a while now. I'm not saying I don't like to have my fun but I'm nowhere near the wild kid that I once was.

"Sometimes you're sitting there, doing your thing. Maybe you're alone in bed reading your book and thinking, 'I wish they could see me now! The crazy f***ing womanizing Gerard Butler is in bed reading'."

The 'Playing For Keeps' actor wants to shed his reputation as one of Hollywood's serial daters after being linked to stars like Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Paris Hilton in the past and hopes settling down with Madalina - who he has been dating for seven months - won't end up being another "mistake."

Gerard told The Metro newspaper: "I think I've been propelled through life from one mistake to another, I can look back and say in my philosophical mode that I needed to make those mistakes and I learnt from all of them. But overall I do think that whatever happens is supposed to happen."

Gerard Butler is inspired to have a family by his new film 'Playing For Keeps'

Butler in a scene from 'Playing for Keeps'

The 43-year-old actor is ready to become a dad after forming a great bond with his child co-stars while shooting sports-centric romantic comedy 'Playing For Keeps', in which he plays the coach of a junior soccer team.

Speaking on British TV chat show 'Lorraine', Gerard - who is dating model Madalina Ghenea - said: "I have a girlfriend and she's very nice, and I would love to settle down at some point for sure. Especially doing a movie like this, you play a father and you hang out with these kids and they're awesome.

"I mean genuinely awesome! To the point where you go, I want a kid, I want a kid just like you."

In his new film, Gerard plays a former sports star who tries to reconnect with his estranged son by coaching his soccer team. The Scottish stud confessed the highlight of the film was bonding with Noah Lomax, the adorable 10-year-old actor who plays his on-screen child, and he joked he was desperate to adopt him when the movie wrapped.

Gerard said: "It was a crazy bunch of kids, but to be honest that's what made the movie so much fun, playing with them every day. Even my kid, he was just a dream. He became my best buddy at the end of the movie. I wanted to adopt him!

"I tried to buy Noah I thought maybe I could take him with me but his mum said he's not for sale. He's just a diamond little kid."

Gerard Butler admits he’s dating on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'

Butler on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'

The '300' actor played coy about his new paramour, believed to be Romanian model-and-actress Madalina Ghenea, but did reveal they've been dating for several months.

Speaking during an appearance on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' on Monday night, he said: "It's been seven months now... it's not a record."

The 43-year-old actor was first linked to Madalina - who is rumoured to have previously dated Leonardo DiCaprio - earlier this year after they filmed a commercial together for disposable razor brand, Super Max.

They were spotted on a romantic date along the French Riviera in October, sharing kisses and cuddles as they took stroll.

An onlooker said: "They appeared very happy together and didn't try to hide their romance."

The 24-year-old beauty is set to appear on the big screen, landing a role in 'Don Hemingway' starring Jude Law and Emilia Clarke.

Gerard reportedly showed his support by visiting the set in the South of France.

The Scottish star's past flings are said to include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel and reality TV star Brandi Glanville.

Gerard Butler says his near drowning on "Chasing Mavericks"brought back traumatic memories from his childhood

Gerard Butler

The actor - who admitted he thought he was "going to die" after a surfing stunt went wrong on the set of his new movie 'Chasing Mavericks' during which he was engulfed by two enormous waves - said the accident reminded him of when he saved a child from drowning in Scotland fourteen years ago.
He told US chat show host Kelly Ripa on 'Live With Kelly and Michael' on Tuesday (23.10.12) that the uncontrollable heaving sounds that came from his body while he recovered were similar to those that erupted from the small boy he rescued from the River Tay in 1997.
The 42-year-old star - who was briefly hospitalised after his accident - was handed a certificate of bravery by the Royal Humane Society of Scotland in 1997 after putting his own life at risk to pull a child from the river.
But the '300' star brushed off his bravery and admitted he was so shocked by the incident that he struggled to carry the young victim back to his hotel.
He said: "I tried to take him up hill but my legs were like jelly from the adrenalin and everybody's watching me and I couldn't make it up the hill."
Speaking previously about the rescue, he also played down his heroism. He said: "I didn't feel like a hero at all.
"I was initially gripped by fear and an empty feeling, thinking that the boy was dead."
Footage of Gerard's accident, which happened during filming in California last December, was shown to the public for the first time on ABC's 'Good Morning America' this week.
He said: "It looked like a tsunami coming in. I was down. I just didn't come back up, really. I just started to think, 'Wow, I'm going to die making a movie.'"

Gerard Butler is "glad" he went into rehab for addiction to pain medication

Butler went to rehab for prescription drug addiction

The 'Bounty Hunter' actor spent three weeks in the Betty Ford Center in February to be treated for a reliance on prescription drugs.

Even though he believes if he had more willpower he wouldn't have needed specialist treatment, Gerard admits the experience has made him a better person.

He said: "Maybe a stronger person wouldn't have needed to go. When you hear the word rehab, you think, 'He's a mess, he's f***ed up.' But I'm glad I did it. I've made a s**t load of wrong decisions in my life. But I know I've made some right ones as well. "They really do rip you apart [in rehab]. You get rid of a bunch of s**t, realise a bunch more s**t, and you make a plan."

Gerard admits he was "p***ed off" that people made assumptions he had sought help for alcoholism as his problem was with pain medication he started taking after suffering injuries in a surfing accident while shooting 'Chasing Mavericks'.

He explained to the November issue of Men's Journal magazine: "I haven't had a drink in 15 years.

"I was actually taking a minimal amount [of pills] when I went in.

"It was more about becoming a mental warrior and not letting pain bother you. The [instructor] would say, 'I don't want to hear about your f***ing MRIs or your f***ing X-rays ... Let's learn how to say to the pain, "F**k you.' "

After the accident - in which the actor was pushed underwater by a wave for almost a minute - Gerard had "visceral flashbacks" which left his mind "in a place where [he] didn't want it to be".

Gerard Butler enjoyed a dance with a mystery brunette at the Coachella Music Festival in Palm Springs

Gerard Butler

The Scottish hunk - who received treatment for prescription drug problems in February - partied with the beauty at the A/X Armani Exchange and T-Mobile Neon Carnival on Saturday, and seemingly did not mind he was being seen out and about.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: "The two were grinding like they were at a middle school dance. He didn't seem to care who was watching."

It is believed Gerard stayed sober at the event.

Gerard was not the only celebrity to enjoy the glamorous bash; Emma Roberts, Zoe Kravitz, Paris Hilton and Emile Hirsch were also in attendance.

Soon after completing his three-week rehab stint in February the 'Coriolanus' actor was seen partying at the Weinstein Company's Soho House party in West Hollywood.

According to those at the event he was seen chatting to a number of women telling one he was doing "pretty good" following his time out.

Gerard Butler attended a pre-Oscars bash on Saturday, one day after leaving rehab

Gerard Butler

The '300' actor recently spent three weeks at the Betty Ford Center in California receiving treatment for problems with prescription drugs before being released on Friday and Gerard quickly rejoined the party circuit at the Weinstein Company's gathering at Soho House in West Hollywood.

According to the New York Post newspaper, he chatted to a number of women, telling one, "I feel pretty good."

Before attending the bash on Saturday, Scottish actor Gerard was spotted jogging along Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood with his personal trainer, smiling and waving at fans.

He also enjoyed a solo lunch in Malibu after his release on Friday, where he was spotted with only a book for company.

After his release from the treatment centre, his representative, Rupert Fowler, said: "Gerard has completed a successful course of treatment and has returned home in good health."

Gerard had entered the facility after realising he was becoming dependent on prescription drugs.

His problems were allegedly triggered by the physical demands of shooting '300' in 2006 when he started taking painkillers to cope with numerous injuries he got while shooting the action film.

The problem got worse when the 42-year-old actor was badly hurt in a surfing accident when filming 'Of Men and Mavericks' - which tells the true life story of late surfing icon Jay Moriarty - in December.

Gerard got caught in a 12ft swell at the infamous big-wave Northern Californian surfing spot Maverick's.

After being pulled from the water onto a jet ski, he was taken to shore and driven to Stanford Medical Centre where he was kept under observation for one night.

Gerard Butler rushed to hospital after cheating death by seconds in a surfing stunt

Gerard Butler

The 'Machine Gun Preacher' star got trapped underwater after he was hit by a series of waves while filming 'Of Men and Mavericks' – which tells the true life story of late surfing icon Jay Moriarty – at the infamous big-wave Northern Californian surfing spot Maverick's.

The 42-year-old actor – who plays champion surfer Ricky 'Frosty' Henson in the movie – got caught in a 12ft swell before he was pulled from the water onto a jet ski and then taken to shore and driven to Stanford Medical Center for overnight observation.

Eye witness and surfer Frank Quirarte wrote in his ESPN Action Sports Blog: “Butler was held down for a solid two-waves and took four or five more waves on the head.

“He was then washed through the rocks on the inside before he was finally able to be plucked out.

“Even on small days the inside at Maverick’s can push 10ft plus and really tear you up.

“When they brought Butler in he had that 100-yard stare that surfers get after a two-wave hold [down] or near death experience.

“After almost 20 years at Mavericks I’ve seen a lot of it, but at least he was standing on his own two legs. He was then carted away in a waiting ambulance.”
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Despite the huge waves, Frank insisted Gerard – who has been training at the location throughout the summer to get in shape – and the film crew were "chomping a the bit" to get in the water.

He added: "With Maverick’s and the entire Northern Hemisphere big-wave season off to a slow start surfers and the film crew were chomping at the bit to get a few days of surfing and filming in.

“Waves were running at 12ft, but some large ones had got through.

"Butler had no business to go near the bowl."

The incident comes almost eight months after Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky died in a near identical incident at Maverick's.

Stanford Medical Center and Gerard's representatives would not comment on his condition on Monday.

Gerard Butler 'cried for five hours' - reunited with his estranged father after 14 years

Gerard Butler was  only two years old when his father Edward left the family. Gerard was raised by his mother, Margaret Butler, and didn't even know his father was still alive until he turned up one day unannounced.

Gerard – whose family emigrated from Scotland to Montreal, Canada, when he was six before moving back to his home nation 18 months later - said: "My parents split up when I was young, so my mother was left with the task of being both my mum and my dad.

"My mother was everything to me. I used to have these horrible nightmares about something happening to her.

"I didn't even know my father for many years. He lived in Canada and I didn't know he was alive. One day when I was 16, I came home from school and my stepfather, who at the time was just my mother's boyfriend, said, 'Keep your jacket on, your dad's here.'

"I asked my father, 'Why didn't you get in touch?' I started crying and crying and I cried for about five hours – and I wasn't a guy who cried. It was a huge moment for me."


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Following their reunion, the 'Machine Gun Preacher' star went on "great adventures" to his dad's house in Toronto, Canada, and enjoyed some "good times" with Edward before he passed away.

The 42-year-old actor added: "I stayed in touch with him and it changed my life. I'd go to Toronto for summers, which was a great adventure for a boy from Scotland who hadn't done much travelling. He took me to Jamaica once on holiday.

"He's long dead now but we had some good times."