Actress Blake Lively braved her fears and went shark diving in South Africa while on location filming new superhero film Green Lantern.

The Gossip Girl star made the most of a rare day off by taking the plunge and coming face-to-face with great white sharks, which are widely believed to be the most deadly creature in the ocean.



She says, "It's terrifying at first. They throw blood into the water and they throw fish guts. So you're standing on a boat and you're trying to lure in sharks.

And then you see great whites circling your boat and that's a good thing? It's like everything you never want to happen is happening. And then you jump in the water with them. It was so amazing."

And despite their baring sharp teeth, she's developed a soft spot for the dangerous predators and urges others to protect them before they become extinct.