Burt Reynolds’ Near-Death Experience While Filming ‘Deliverance’

Burt Reynolds, the renowned tough-guy actor of the 70s, delves into the triumphs and tribulations of his illustrious 55-year Hollywood career in his latest memoir titled But Enough About Me.

In a captivating interview with Michael Hainey of GQ, Reynolds reveals his deepest regrets, including turning down iconic roles such as Han Solo and Michael Corleone, as well as his ill-fated marriage to Loni Anderson.

If you want to gain further insight into Reynolds' thoughts, be sure to read the full interview.

With the release of his new book, Reynolds has been actively engaging with the media, sharing interesting anecdotes about various aspects of his life.

In one particular interview, he discloses a regret concerning a scene from the Appalachian-Gothic classic, Deliverance.

Surprisingly, it is not the infamous “purdy mouth” scene that haunts him.

Instead, it is a stunt scene involving his character going over a waterfall in a canoe.

During an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds elaborates on this harrowing experience:

“As they released the water, I heard a sound that still haunts my dreams.

I looked around and was confronted with an approaching tidal wave.

I went over the falls, and the first thing that happened was I hit a rock, cracking my tailbone.

To this day, the pain remains.

Then I descended into the water below, finding myself caught in a whirlpool.

I struggled to escape, but a knowledgeable individual advised me to surrender and descend to the bottom.

He explained that swimming against it would be futile.

So, I followed his advice, reaching the bottom.

However, what I didn't anticipate was being propelled back up like a torpedo.

And that's how I made it out.”

Remarkably, amidst this alarming incident, there was an amusing twist.

The centrifugal force of the whirlpool forcefully stripped Reynolds of his costume.

“Afterwards, they recounted witnessing a 30-year-old man, fully clothed, plunging over the waterfall.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, they observed a n^ked man emerging from the water.

The force had torn away everything, including my boots,” Reynolds recollects with a hint