Actor Gerard Butler was once a real-life hero.

Gerard Butler is known to many movie fans around the world as King Leonidas from the blockbuster action film 300. Butler, who is one of Hollywood’s top action stars, is a celebrity who prefers to steer clear of the spotlight when he isn’t promoting a movie.

Notoriously tight-lipped about his love life, Butler is also one of the entertainment industry’s most eligible bachelors. While he isn’t reported to have any children of his own, Butler definitely has an affinity for youngsters.

Early on in his career, Butler actually sprang into action and saved a young man’s life, proving that he is a hero on and off-screen.

How did Gerard Butler become famous?

Gerard Butler | Greg Doherty/Getty Images

Butler was born in Scotland in 1969. The youngest of three children, Butler’s family moved frequently when he was young, spending time in Quebec before ultimately returning to Scotland.

Although Butler was interested in acting when in high school, he ultimately decided to pursue a career as a lawyer, eventually graduating and taking a position at an Edinburgh law firm. Unfortunately, Butler’s first year as a trainee lawyer was not successful, and his hard-partying ways led him to get fired one week before he qualified as a lawyer.

After getting fired, Butler moved to London to try to land acting roles. He had a hard time getting his foot in the door, and it took several years before he scored his first professional acting job.

Butler acted in several stage shows before moving to LA to see what opportunities Hollywood held for him. Finally, Butler started to experience some success, getting roles in movies like Phantom of the Opera and Dracula 2000.

What is Gerard Butler doing these days?

Throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s, Butler appeared in a variety of movies, from Reign of Fire, opposite Christian Bale, to Timeline.

However, it wasn’t until 2006, that Butler landed the leading role in the action film 300, that he became a worldwide superstar. Butler’s no-holds-barred performance in the film, as well as his impressive physique, led him to become a pop culture icon.

In the years that followed the release of 300, Butler appeared in many other high-profile films, including Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, Gods of Egypt, Law Abiding Citizen, Gamer, and The Ugly Truth.

These days, Butler remains a power player in the entertainment industry, with several exciting projects in the works — including the upcoming film release Night Has Fallen.

When did Gerard Butler save a young boy’s life?

Butler is known to many as a tough-as-nails action star, who never hesitates to spring into action when the moment calls for it. In 1997, almost 10 years before he became a major movie star, Butler even saved a young boy from drowning.

As reported by The Herald, Butler was enjoying a picnic with his mother next to Scotland’s River Tay, when he heard a teenager yell that his friend was in trouble. Butler ran to the edge of the river and saw that there was indeed someone in the water, slipping underneath the surface.

Butler jumped into the river, pulling 14-year-old Daniel Smith to dry land and helping to save his life. While law enforcement praised Butler’s quick actions and commended him for his role in saving Smith’s life, Butler himself was humble, stating: “I wouldn’t call myself a hero. I just acted instinctively. When I brought him out he was lifeless. I’m just glad he’s all right now.”