Werner Herzog had incredibly cool reaction when he was shot mid-interview

While a shot from an air rifle can prove pretty painful, Werner Herzog made it look like it was nothing.

The german director and actor featured on BBC's The Culture Show back in 2006 and was chatting with film critic Mark Kermode when the unexpected incident occurred.

And the moment still lives 'rent free' in some people's heads 17 years after it happened:

During Kermode and Herzog's chat, the screenwriter was explaining that 'nobody cares about [his] films' in his home country of Germany and, as he went on to give an example, you hear the whistle of something flying past the screen.

"What was that?" he asked casually while looking down.

Narrating the programme, Kermode went on to say that 'some whacko took a pot shot at us with an air rifle'.

He came off unscathed, but Herzog had been hit.

Despite having been shot, Herzog continued the interview.

The pair then went inside and the director proceeded to show off the injury he sustained in his lower abdomen - where an evident hole is seen from where he was hit.

BBC

"You're bleeding!" exclaimed Kermode in the interview.

"Somebody shot at you and created a wound in your abdomen."

Remaining cool, calm and collected about it all, Herzog simply went on to say: "It's not significant."

Years on from it airing, the clip has been doing the rounds again on social media following a viral post asking people 'what interview clip lives in your mind rent free?'.

"Easy," one person said in response.

"Werner Herzog getting shot by a sniper mid-interview with Mark Kermode.

"And then said ‘it was not a significant bullet. It doesn’t surprise me to be shot at.’

"Of course it doesn’t, Werner."

Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

Replying to the tweet, another person said: "They showed us this back in uni, i cant remember what the point was other than 'Werner Herzog is really cool' but i suppose thats enough of a point on its own in a film class."

"The phrase 'it’s not a significant bullet' will stay in my mind for awhile," someone else went on to say of the clip of The Mandalorian star.

Echoing similar sentiments a fourth person penned: "OH MAN, Same. Absolute favorite interview. I quote that constantly."

Herzog may have won a host of accolades over his decades-long career, but he should have totally got one for this.

Surely there's an award for 'Taking An Air Rifle Hit Like A Pro' out there somewhere?

Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, BBC

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

@niamhshackleton