How Isla Fisher Nearly Drowned While Filming Now You See Me

Now You See Me is one of Isla Fisher’s most popular movies, but the Australian actor may not have such fond memories, since she almost drowned while filming one of the movie’s magic tricks. Now You See Me was a box office success, thanks to its lively cast and its fresh take on the heist genre. By combining stage magic with many common heist tropes, Now You See Me plays with the idea of crime capers trying to fool their audience with flashy reveals, just like Ocean’s Eleven, Gambit and Inside Man.

Now You See Me’s ending is partly to blame for its mixed critical reputation, but audience responses were much more positive. Fisher’s performance has often been singled out for praise, as she brings a lot of spunky charm to the character of Henley Reeves, and her comedic nous fits in with the rest of the cast. Now You See Me isn’t a comedy per se, but there are enough humorous moments for the likes of Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg and Morgan Freeman to get a few laughs. Fisher’s role in the movie almost took a dark turn however, since a problem during filming left her trapped underwater.

Isla Fisher Nearly Died Filming A Memorable Now You See Me Scene

The Scene Serves As An Introduction To Her Character

Now You See Me doesn’t seem like the kind of movie that’s packed with death-defying stunts, but there are few big magic tricks which required some careful planning. Henley Reeves is an escapologist, and she’s introduced with an underwater escape act. This meant that Isla Fisher had to be fully submerged in a large tank of water, with her hands and feet both in cuffs. While there were several safety measures in place, the production team didn’t establish a signal for Fisher to communicate the fact that she was in severe danger.

Fisher’s handcuffs had a magnetic release, but the chains on her feet became stuck on a part of the tank during one take. Fisher started running out of air, but her cries for help were largely ignored, because her character was supposed to be feigning panic during the trick. In a press junket to promote Now You See Me, Fisher revealed, “Everyone just thought I was doing fabulous acting. They thought I was being Meryl Streep in the tank.” Fisher’s near-death experience made it into the final cut of the film, so it’s still possible to see the moment where it almost went badly wrong.

Fisher was only saved from the tank when a stunt coordinator on set realized that her feet were stuck, so he pulled a quick release switch that emptied the water out before Fisher could drown. The story behind this moment makes it even more eye-catching, although it’s already one of the most striking scenes in Now You See Me. There are many bigger and splashier magic tricks than Henley’s water escape, but something about the intimate setting makes it seem much more real. Of course, Fisher’s genuine screams of terror also add a lot to the scene.

Isla Fisher Is Returning To The Franchise For The Third Movie

Fisher Is Returning After Skipping Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me 2 came out just three years after the first movie, but there’s been a much longer gap between sequels this time round. The franchise was presumed dead for a while, until the surprise news of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. After two commercial hits, it’s a safe bet to assume that the franchise’s third entry will be another box office when it’s released in November. While some parts of the sequel remain shrouded in mystery, the exciting news is that Fisher is returning to the Horsemen after her absence from Now You See Me 2.

Fisher opted out of Now You See Me 2 because she was pregnant at the time of filming, but fans will be pleased to see her as Henley once again. The sequel explained away her absence by stating that Henley left the group after growing tired of waiting for orders from The Eye. Fisher will be joined by some franchise newcomers, including Rosamund Pike, Dominic Sessa and Arianna Greenblatt, as the Horsemen look to recruit a new generation of illusionists. It’s nice to know that Fisher is still keen on the Now You See Me franchise, considering how frightening her near-death experience on set must have been.