Los Angeles, California– Coworkers who turn into lifesavers aren’t limited to police and firefighters! Hollywood star Olivia Wilde once faced a terrifying moment while filming the sci-fi western Cowboys & Aliens, when she nearly got trampled to death — until a co-star reacted in the nick of time.

The Don’t Worry Darling star and director was a guest on this week’s Armchair Expert podcast to talk about her new film, The Invite, and her career.

During the conversation with actor and podcast host Dax Shepard, she also recalled a horror‑movie moment from the shoot of Cowboys & Aliens, when she appeared alongside Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Walton Goggins in 2011.

The 42‑year‑old insisted that the latter saved her life on that movie set. The two had been playfully challenging each other during the horseback scenes. At one point, she said they were galloping at full speed across the desert, with 40 horses behind them.

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When a ditch suddenly appeared in front of her, Wilde says she was thrown from her horse. She ended up on the ground behind a small earthen wall, hidden from the charging horses. She could do nothing but wait, fearing she was about to be trampled.

But Goggins reacted in a split second, steering his horse sideways toward the star: "People split the two sides around us, thinking he had just gone insane, but he was protecting my body on the ground," Wilde said, emphasizing, "And so I owe him my life. It’s crazy. He’s a real-life hero.”

Despite the dramatic event while filming, the movie ultimately wasn’t a box‑office hit. Though Cowboys & Aliens grossed nearly $200 million, it cost almost as much to make.