Movie hunk Paul Walker suffered for his art on the set of deep sea adventure INTO THE BLUE - he had to work with a gash on his head.

The amateur surfer and diver cracked his skull against a cave wall while performing an underwater scene and blood gushed from his head.

He recalls, "We were out there diving and playing around in this cave. Every time I would come up for a breath I had so much head room, but then the tide came up really fast and I came up to take a breath into what I thought was the same pocket and I hit the ceiling because the tide had changed.

"Right away the dive safety guys came to check me out and I think, 'I'm going to be sent home.' Everyone's really concerned because when you cut your head and the blood is diluted with the sea water, it looks really serious.

"I'm getting gas and the whole bit. I just wanted to clean it out and make it OK, but some people suggested I get on a plane and fly to Miami and get it stitched up.

"They cleaned up the wound and the director (JOHN STOCKWELL) says, 'No, that's good. I like that. I want that for the movie. Get back in the water!' Salt water heals things like nothing else.

"I didn't want it to become this festering wound so I just kept Neosporin on it and it healed up pretty quick."