How Gerard Butler Accidentally Gave Himself Anaphylactic Shock On Geostorm

Gerard Butler has cultivated a persona for being one of the roughest, toughest cats to have ever graced the big screen. But his real-world persona is far less rough-and-tumble. In fact, the action movie all-star is often disarmingly charming, even goofy during press events and interviews. And during a 2017 interview on ITV's "Lorraine," the imposing Scotsman made clear he's not quite as tough as his some of his characters when he detailed how an overdose of bee venom nearly killed him.

The actor had apparently been a big proponent of using bee venom as a homeopathic treatment for aches and pains, as the compound is known to possess certain anti-inflammatory elements. As Butler tells the story, he was seeking just such a treatment during the filming of his 2017 sci-fi spectacular "Geostorm." But it seems the doctor tasked with administering Butler's dose of bee venom wasn't entirely aware of how bee venom works, and the actor claimed he actually went into shock after the treatment. "And so he gives me a shot," Butler said of the event, "And I go 'Oh that's interesting, it stings.'" He then added that the doctor promptly gave him several more doses

"And then I have the worst reaction, and I kinda went into this anaphylactic shock," the actor said. He also told host Lorraine Kelly he quickly swelled up, could feel "creepy crawlies" all over him, and that he thought his heart might explode. 

Gerard Butler went on to claim that he'd learned after a brief hospital visit that the doctor in question had indeed been almost irresponsibly overzealous in the dosage of bee venom he'd administered. "I got through it," Butler said, "and then I found out he'd given me too much. This is supposed to be over 10 weeks." Though it proved not to be fatal, Butler probably counted himself extremely lucky that taking 10 times the recommended dosage of bee venom didn't do more damage to his person. 

It would seem, however, that Butler did not subscribe to that particular point of logic. In fact, he went on to tell Lorraine Kelly that he didn't even wait a full week before taking even more bee venom, admitting he actually went and injected himself with more venom a mere four days after the first mishap. "But then four days later, I decide to do it again, 'cause I think 'Maybe I just took too much.'" Kelly could only laugh and look on incredulously as Butler described how he had almost the exact same reaction as before, and that he'd spent a little more time in the hospital as a result.

Butler doesn't say whether or not he's still a proponent of using bee venom to ease his aches and pains after the second mishap. But he did jokingly admit he'd become quite wary of bees whenever they're around — and one can hardly blame him for that.