15 Movies and TV Series That Put Actors Through Fire and Water
To portray their characters perfectly, they were forced to fulfill some requirements. While some actors are thrown on a fat suit, others have to gain weight. Some have to wear prosthetic wounds, others even create their own. It sounds crazy but true. Whether it is physically or mentally, all of the greatest actors take great pains to fulfill their roles. As they say, "No pain, no gain", stop expecting to win an Oscar without a little sacrifice.
We've rounded up 15 movies where actors had to do more than they bargained for.
#1 Wednesday
Source: © Wednesday / MGM Television and co-producers
Choosing a hairstyle for Wednesday was more difficult than we imagined. Director Tim Burton spent 3 hours choosing the right braids. Burton himself even took a comb and arranged the fringes of the actress exactly the way he wanted.
Moreover, for the role, Jenna Ortega learned fencing, archery, playing the cello, and studying German.
#2 The English
Source: © The English / Amazon Studios and co-producers
Emily Blunt was forced to wear a corset for the role. She hated it so much that she compared it to an “oven for her organs”. It was worse because the shooting place took place in Spain during the hot summer.
#3 Noah
Source: © Noah / Paramount Pictures and co-producers
The movie “Noah” convey the message of protecting the environment so the director forbad actors to drink water from plastic bottles on the set. It was the reason that made Emma Watson have an unpleased incident. She had to drink from a mug of water that had been in her trailer for about 3 months. As a result, she felt ill. Despite that, the director didn’t let her take a break and suggested using the way she felt as part of her acting.
#4 Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens
Source: © Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens / Lucasfilm Ltd. and co-producers
Daisy Ridley and John Boyega trained on treadmills for the desert chase scene. But it didn’t work because running on the sand was much harder. Ridley confessed that it was hard on the legs.
#5 In the Heart of the Sea
Source: © In the Heart of the Sea / Warner Bros. and co-producers
For the role, Chris Hemsworth and the other actors needed to lose a lot of weight. They had to work out and watch their physique even during filming. As a result, the cast consumed 500 calories a day.
#6 House of Gucci
Source: © House of Gucci / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and co-producers
For Salma Hayek, the scene of taking a mud bath was the most difficult scene of her life. She just couldn’t immerse herself in the mud and struggled for a long time.
#7 The Suicide Squad
Source: © The Suicide Squad / Warner Bros. and co-producers
It was impossible to capture the shoot where John Cena’s character was eating an empanada for the first time. It took 31 takes and after the shoot, the actor waddled like a penguin.
#8 The Banshees of Inisherin
Source: © The Banshees of Inisherin / Blueprint Pictures and co-producers
Colin Farrell interacted with various animals which were not really unfriendly. A donkey kicked him in the knee, a dog bit him, and a horse almost made him go for a swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
#9 Nomadland
Source: © Nomadland / Highwayman Films and co-producers
Frances McDormand portrayed a traveling woman in the movie “Nomadland”. For the role, she decided to spend the night in a van that deprived her of many comforts. It was worse when she’d had spicy chicken wings for dinner. The actress had to do her business in a bucket.
#10 The Thing About Pam
Source: © The Thing About Pam / Blumhouse Television and co-producers
To get into her character, Renée Zellweger put on elaborate makeup and prosthetics. She was allergic to the glue used by the makeup team. As a result, she resorted to using many allergy medications.
#11 Bridgerton
Source: © Bridgerton / Shondaland and co-producers
For the dance scenes, actress Phoebe Dynevor studied with a choreographer for 6 weeks. It was difficult to hold conversations while dancing. For her, those scenes were the most nerve-wracking ones.
#12 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2
Source: © The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 / Lionsgate and co-producers
It was not easy to shoot sewer scenes. Jennifer Lawrence showed her sympathy when recalling the experience of her film partner Liam Hemsworth: he couldn’t even stand up straight in those tunnels.
#13 The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Source: © The Eyes of Tammy Faye / Searchlight Pictures and co-producers
For her role, Jessica Chastain had to wear heavy makeup which stretched her skin. She jokingly claimed that she looked older after filming.
#14 Elysium
Source: © Elysium / TriStar Pictures and co-producers
The set of the movie took place in a landfill in Mexico City. Due to the filth, the smell was so awful. The crew could wear masks but actor Matt Damon had to breathe the “fresh” air.
#15 Ammonite
Source: © Ammonite / BBC Films and co-producers
To immerse in the character as a paleontologist, actress Kate Winslet refused to live in a comfortable hotel and decided to spend some time in isolation. She did so in a shack on the beach. It was cold and noisy. During the storms, waves pounded against the cabin windows, and the electricity kept cutting off constantly.