Gerard Butler is well-known for starring in the most testosterone-filled flicks, but he was the one who needed rescuing in California on Sunday.

Butler, 42, landed himself in Stanford Medical Center after being pulled underwater by a set of large waves at Maverick's, a famously treacherous surfing spot in Northern California.

"He was down at least 20, maybe 40 seconds. It's traumatic because you're rolling around a bunch with lots of rocks on the inside of the break - called the bone yard," surfer Zach Wormhoudt tells the New York Daily News.

Just earlier this year, Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky drowned at the same spot after enduring a two-wave hold down.

Eyewitnesses tell ESPN that the Butler "was held down for a solid two waves and took four or five more on the head before being washed through the rocks on the inside, where he was finally able to be plucked out."

Safety patrolmen rushed the dazed "300" actor to the hospital, where he was proclaimed free of serious injury. He is expected to make a full recovery.

"He's fine. Very scary. They brought him to Stanford University. More scary than anything. For precaution, we all wanted him checked out after it all happened. Came out with flying colors," a representative for the actor says in a statement to Entertainment Tonight.

The Scottish hunk was filming for his new surfing flick "Of Men and Mavericks" when the accident occurred. It revolves around promising Maverick's regular Jay Moriarty who's young life was cut short after a drowning accident in the Maldives. Butler will play Moriarty's mentor Rick "Frosty" Hesson.

Wormhoudt had nothing but praise for the rookie surfer saying Butler "was pretty awesome."

"I was stoked that he didn't panic. He basically acted like he'd been surfing a long time. He remained calm and kept his composure," he adds.

According to the surfer, the A-List star might not be asked to go back into the water for filming since most of the scenes have already been shot.