If you've ever been involved in the theater world, you've probably heard the phrase “break a leg”—but why would anyone wish for an injury before stepping on stage? It turns out, this quirky phrase has a rather clever origin!

Theater folks are famously superstitious, and wishing someone “good luck” before a performance is believed to actually bring bad luck. To avoid jinxing a show, actors flipped the script and started wishing each other the exact opposite—hence the curious, counterintuitive phrase “break a leg.”

But why “break a leg” specifically? Some theories suggest that it refers to an old tradition in which actors would bow or curtsy so deeply that they’d metaphorically "break" the line of their legs. Others claim it dates back to ancient Greece, where audiences stomped their feet in applause, and a particularly rowdy crowd might cause someone to injure a leg!

Whatever the true origin, “break a leg” has become a good-luck charm for performers, proving that sometimes the weirdest sayings end up sticking around—and even bringing success!