Cary Elwes Speaks From Hospital Bed After Horrifying Snake Bite

Cary Elwes took to Twitter to show off a gross snake bite that he endured, but he also took time to reference The Princess Bride when showing off his injury.

By James Brizuela | Published

cary elwes

You might be having a better day than Cary Elwes is currently having. The famed actor posted a picture of his finger on Twitter, right after he had received a nasty bite from a rattlesnake. The actor had to be airlifted to a nearby hospital to ensure that he didn’t succumb to the strong poison that exists in the fangs of rattlesnakes. Elwes is known for many roles, but none more than his starring role in The Princess Bride. He famously portrayed Westley aka the Dread Pirate Roberts. Elwes hilariously referenced the film when posting about his status after the bite. This photo is not for the faint of heart, so proceed with caution. You can see the photo below:

While it appears that Cary Elwes is in bad shape, while still in a hospital bed, he seems to have been given the treatment necessary to combat a rattlesnake bite. Usually, that is a vile or two of anti-venom. He was airlifted to UCLA, where he was given the necessary antidote for a bite that could have surely ended the actor’s life. Apparently, Elwes had been working outside of his Malibu home when he came across the snake that bit him. Thankfully, he was able to be rushed to the hospital without substantial damage being done. He is likely to have a bit of a sore finger for a few days though.

What makes this post so hilarious is that Cary Elwes references an animal found in The Princess Bride. He claims that he was bitten by a rattlesnake in the above photo, and not a ROUS. The animal he is referencing is known as a ROUS, or Rodent of Unusual Size. There is a moment in the film when Westley and Princess Buttercup are in the Fire Swamp, attempting to evade capture by Prince Humperdinck. During their time in the forest, they come across a ROUS, which badly injures Westley, after an epic fight. You can see the fight below:

It is good to see that Cary Elwes is doing fine after a run-in with a truly terrifying animal. Rattlesnakes are nothing to mess with, and they contain some of the most powerful venoms on the planet. Based on the size of Elwes’s finger, he clearly could have been in much more trouble had he not been rushed to the hospital in time. The venom from the snake could have caused paralysis in his body, along with being fatal if too much time had passed. According to Anamaric, the hemotoxins and neurotoxins in the snake’s venom could have gone after his nervous system and caused hemorrhagingĀ and necrosis in the blood. Scary stuff.

Cary Elwes is set to appear in the upcoming Rebel Moon space epic by Zack Snyder. There is no telling what his role is, but he is likely to be on set soon, as that film is currently shooting. We all wish Mr. Elwes a speedy recovery. Stay away from snakes, people. Also, stay away from any ROUS you might see lurking around, especially if you’re in a Fire Swamp.