When Crocodile Dundee hit theaters in 1986, it instantly became a global phenomenon. The fish-out-of-water comedy not only launched Paul Hogan to international fame but also introduced audiences to the stunning and talented Linda Kozlowski, who played journalist Sue Charlton. While the film was filled with humor, charm, and outback adventure, there’s one scene in particular that has stood the test of time — and shocked everyone when they learned it wasn’t staged with Hollywood tricks.
The scene in question occurs near a billabong, where Sue (Kozlowski) decides to take a dip in the water. As she wades in, wearing a modest one-piece swimsuit, she playfully splashes around — until she notices a crocodile approaching. She screams in terror as the massive reptile lunges from the water, and Mick Dundee (Paul Hogan) races in to rescue her just in time, stabbing the croc and saving her life.
Audiences were on the edge of their seats, but most assumed it was movie magic — animatronics, clever editing, or camera tricks. In reality, however, the moment was far more real than anyone imagined.
In behind-the-scenes interviews years later, cast and crew revealed that a real crocodile was used for portions of the scene, and Linda Kozlowski actually swam in the same waters. While a mechanical crocodile was used for close-up attacks, there were shots where Kozlowski was genuinely in water known to be inhabited by crocodiles, under tight but risky supervision.
What shocked many was the fact that Kozlowski had no prior experience acting in dangerous conditions, yet agreed to shoot the scene with only basic safety precautions. While stunt doubles were used in particularly risky moments, Kozlowski performed many parts herself — including her genuine reaction of terror as the crocodile burst from the water, which was enhanced by the surprise of how close it actually came.
Director Peter Faiman later admitted that in today’s film industry, such a scene would have been handled with far more caution and likely CGI. But at the time, with a relatively modest budget and the desire for realism, they took chances that would be considered reckless by modern standards.