Gerard Butler Rescued After Surfing Accident

By Liz Raftery

12/20/2011 at 10:50 AM EST

Gerard Butler was pulled underwater and dragged over a rocky reef Sunday by a large set of waves while he was filming the surfing movie Of Men and Mavericks in Northern California.

The actor, 42, was taken to Stanford Medical Center dazed but not seriously injured, after being rescued by a safety patrolman, according to ESPN.com.

"[Butler] had that 100-yard stare that surfers get after a two-wave hold-down or near-death experience," reports ESPN.

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Surfer Zach Wormhoudt, who was filming with Butler, told ESPN their group was caught off guard by a set of waves that appeared to come out of nowhere.

In March, professional surfer Sion Milosky drowned at the same spot.

Butler is expected to make a full recovery.