Before finding his calling as an actor, Gerard Butler pursued a legal career. In a recent interview with PEOPLE alongside his 'Den of Thieves 2: Pantera' co-star O'Shea Jackson Jr., Butler, 55, shared how his first professional acting role shifted the course of his life.

Nevertheless, Butler shines brightest in the action genre, where his intensity and physicality truly come to life. Either it's battling Russian submarines or a comet headed to Earth, Butler has an innate ability to make every action movie an adrenaline-fueled ride.