John Krasinski reveals he almost drowned saving a woman's life

John Krasinski has revealed in a never-before-told story that he almost died while trying to save a woman from drowning when he was just 17. Photo / Getty

He's getting set to play Tom Clancy's CIA agent Jack Ryan.

And it turns out John Krasinski is a hero in real life too, having saved a girl's life when he was just 17.

In an interview with Playboy, the 38-year-old revealed in a never-before-told story that he almost died while trying to save a woman from drowning, reports Daily Mail.

"One of the places I went was this amazing beach called Manuel Antonio that I didn't realize had an insane riptide," he recalled of his travels as a teen.

"While I was swimming there—this is a story I've never told anybody—this Costa Rican girl and an American guy were swimming right next to me, and we were knee-deep.

"I went underwater for a second, and when I came back up he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Literally in three seconds the girl had been swept 150 yards out."

The Office star revealed that he had been taught to swim from a very early age by his mother, who was a lifeguard.

"In that moment, I didn't ask anyone. There was no one to help me. I just went out and tried to save her. And then of course when I got out there, I was in a crosscurrent with her.

"It was one of those moments of 'Oh my God, you just made a poor choice and it might cost you your life.' But I didn't think about it like that. It was just this survival instinct," he said.

"It was really weird—like the girl was asking me to let her die. But I got her back. When I got within 20 yards or so of the shore, some surfers came out."

He added: "Granted, not everybody needs to have life-or-death experiences, but that changed my entire life. All of a sudden I grew up."