Miles Teller Reveals Real Story of Saving 5 Lives in Ocean

"I was a hero," Teller joked.

ByABC News
August 5, 2016, 8:16 AM

— -- In May 2015, photos surfaced of Miles Teller and his girlfriend Keleigh Sperry helping to rescue a pregnant woman in the ocean while the two were spending the day at the beach.

Recently, Teller's "War Dogs" co-star Jonah Hill took some of the credit for the rescue, but Teller stopped by "Popcorn with Peter Travers" yesterday to tell the real story. Apparently, according to Teller, Hill was actually taking a nap on the beach while Teller was busy saving a handful of people in Miami.

"Jonah is going around taking a complete story that happened to you and making it about himself," Travers told Teller. "You helped save a pregnant woman from a shark on the beach."

But Travers explained that Hill feels he deserved to get some credit because it was his idea to go to the beach.

PHOTO: Miles Teller rescues a heavily pregnant woman and her child from a rip tide during a romantic afternoon on the beach with his girlfriend Keleigh Sperry, in Miami, on May 10, 2015.
Miles Teller rescues a heavily pregnant woman and her child from a rip tide during a romantic afternoon on the beach with his girlfriend Keleigh Sperry, in Miami, on May 10, 2015.

Teller joked that Hill took a nap when they were all at the beach -- "because acting ... is really tiring" -- while he was saving lives.

"I was a hero," he said, joking. "I saved my girlfriend's life, A woman, she had a small child and she was also pregnant. So, that's including myself, I saved five people's lives.... Some of us nap, other people go out into the world and say, 'What can I do?'"

And as for the story of his recently debuted blonde hair being for a role, he joked it was actually because, as a hero, "I was getting recognized ... too much."

"I was like, 'Guys, I'm just like you and me, only I'm not, I save people's lives,'" he added.

"War Dogs" hits theaters on Aug. 19. Make sure to check back into ABC News Digital for the full interview with Teller about his new film, his career arc and overcoming some life-changing events, all on "Popcorn with Peter Travers."