In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE published Saturday, iconic actor Russell Crowe opens up about his experience on the set of the 2010 film “Robin Hood” when a stunt went awry and left him seriously injured.

The Oscar-winning actor spoke about breaking his leg in an accident more than a decade ago. “I jumped off the castle pier onto the rock-hard uneven ground,” he said. people. “We needed to clear the ground and fill in the pads, but we were in a hurry to complete the shoot in the dimming light.”

With so much going on on set at the time, Crowe had no choice but to commit to the jump. “We couldn't retreat because there were hundreds of extras around and arrows were flying and pots were burning and the castle was on fire,” he added. “I remember jumping off and thinking, 'This is going to hurt.'”

Russell Crowe reveals he broke both legs while filming 'Robin Hood': 'I just kept going' (Exclusive) https://t.co/dwojomt0If

— People (@people) February 17, 2024

The actor reportedly landed on his heel on uneven ground. “It was like an electric shock went through my body,” he continued. “We were shooting a big movie, so we had no choice but to struggle through it, and the last month of that job was extremely difficult. There were a few weeks where it was hard to even walk. .” (Related: Anthony Anderson says he was rushed to the hospital after a 'fight on a movie set went wrong')

According to the newspaper, Crowe did not disclose his injury to the production team and did not take time off to recuperate. It wasn't until 10 years later, when he started experiencing unusual pain and sought medical attention, that an MRI and X-ray revealed the true extent of his injury.

After reviewing the X-rays, Crowe's doctor allegedly turned around and asked, “When did you break your leg?” “Apparently there were signs of fractures in both shin bones,” Crowe recalled, although he was reportedly shocked. “To jog my memory, he said, 'Was that about 10 years ago?'

His scan results date back to a jump he made during the filming of “Robin Hood.”

“Apparently I finished the movie with both legs broken,” Crowe said. “It's all about the art. No casts, no splints, no painkillers, I just kept working and it healed itself over time.”

“I didn't think it was anything serious,” he said. “After surviving a long New York winter, my body was starved of exercise and sunlight.”