Actors Who Went to The Extremes For Their Roles

Dustin Hoffman:

To play his role accurately, he drew on his experiences during his time working at a psychiatric institute.

Movie: Rain Man (1988)

Jake Gyllenhaal:

Jake Gyllenhaal lost 30 Pounds for his role as Louis Bloom in ‘Nightcrawler’.

Movie: Nightcrawler (2014)

50 Cent:

The 39-year-old went on a liquid diet and reportedly ran on a treadmill for at least three hours every day.

Movie: All Things Fall Apart (2011)

Vincent D'Onofrio:

Gained 70 lbs for the film over the course of seven months.

Movie: Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Charlize Theron:

The actress gained over 30 lbs and even shaved her eyebrows all to make herself look closer to the character.

Movie: Monster (2003)

Sylvester Stallone:

In addition to all the training and practice you’d expect, Stallone also faced off against real-life boxer Antonio Tarver, who played Balboa’s primary adversary Mason Dixon.

Movie: Rocky Balboa (2006)

Mickey Rourke:

Rourke dropped the flab and put on 30lbs of muscle. He also put in considerable hours training and learning to pull off ‘real’ wrestling moves.

Movie: The Wrestler (2008)

Malcolm McDowell:

McDowell was hooked up to a device which kept his eyelids open. The prongs on each arm which held the eyes open actually went under the eyelids and this resulted in a scratched cornea and temporary blindness.

Movie: A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Tom Hardy:

Hardy bulked up and put on 30 lbs of muscle to play Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.

Movie: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Daniel Day-Lewis:

In order to prepare for and maintain his character, the English actor virtually lived in a wheel chair. He even adopted and maintained such a slouched posture that he broke two of his own ribs.

Movie: My Left Foot (1989)

Jared Leto:

The 42-year-old dropped his weight to just 114 lbs by not eating.

Movie: Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Christian Bale:

Bale lost 63 lbs on a diet of fruit and coffee in order to play an emaciated insomniac.

Movie: The Machinist (2004)

Heath Ledger:

In order to develop the voice and mannerism of Gotham’s homicidal Joker, Ledger had locked himself away in a hotel room for six weeks.

Movie: The Dark Knight (2008)

Matthew McConaughey:

McConaughey lost around 47 lbs to play the rol of a AIDS patient.

Movie: Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Tom Hanks:

Hanks grew out his beard and hair and lost 55 lbs.

Movie: Cast Away (2002)

Adrien Brody:

Brody lost around 30 lbs but didn’t stop there. To truly get into the mindset of someone who has nothing, he let go of most comforts and possessions which included his prized Porsche. He reportedly even lost his girlfriend as a result of the purge.

Movie: The Pianist (2002)

Robert De Niro:

For preparation, De Niro trained to become a boxer with LaMotta inside the ring with him. The actor also had to get in shape and build a physique like a boxer.

Movie: Raging Bull (1980)

Natalie Portman:

She undertook a daily regime which included five hours of ballet, swimming and cross-training. All of this was undertaken while on a daily diet of 1,200 calories.

Movie: Black Swan (2010)

Tom Cruise:

Cruise took on the real-life role of a UPS delivery man. He went about a routine of delivering packages to various people and stores with the goal of remaining unnoticed.

Movie: Collateral (2004)