Not all actors work for money. In fact, the greatest actors are the ones who work for their passion. Sometimes there were movie stars who went above and beyond for their movies. Some cut off their own salaries, some almost work for free, and some even try to work the same job as their characters to bring their roles to life.
So what length were these actors willing to go for their roles? Today, let's find out the stories about these
movie stars who went above and beyond for the films they starred in.
1. Keanu Reeves - The Devil’s Advocate
Source: Warner Bros./ Courtesy of Everett Collection
The Devil’s Advocate is one of the best non-action movies that Keanu Reeves starred in. However, we doubted that this movie would be as great without Al Pacino, and Reeves agreed with that idea too. When he heard that their budget wasn’t enough, he agreed to have a large chunk of his salary cut off so they could afford to hire Al Pacino.
2. Chadwick Boseman - 21 Bridges
Source: STXfilms/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Chadwick Boseman was the main character in the movie 21 Bridges, and he was also a producer for it as well. He wanted to work with Sienna Miller, but she was working on a lot of projects at that time and feeling quite exhausted. On top of that, the actress’s daughter also was about to start school and it was a very inconvenient time for her.
For all of those reasons, Miller wanted a fair payment but her number was denied by the studio. Boseman then decided to step in and donated his salary to the movie’s budget so he could star along with Miller.
3. Ryan Reynolds - Deadpool
Source: 20th Century Fox/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Ryan Reynolds did not have great experiences with superhero movies until Deadpool. To him, Deadpool was his passion project and he had to make sure that everything would be done right this time. The studio refused to pay the scriptwriters for their extra time being on set every day to monitor the process. To ensure the quality of the film, Reynolds paid the scriptwriters out of his own pocket. It worked. Deadpool won over 20 awards afterward.
4. Will Smith - King Richard
Source: Warner Bros. Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Will Smith also showed his appreciation for his co-workers with his own money. During the shooting of the movie King Richard, the actor paid all the crew’s bonuses out of his own pocket. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton recalled working with him was a very “comfortable and safe” experience for everybody on set.
5. George Clooney - Good Night, and Good Luck
Source: Warner Independent Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
George Clooney directed and co-wrote the 2005 movie Good Night, and Good Luck. He put all of his dedication into this movie, even mortgaging his own house in Los Angeles to make sure that it would be made. Clooney only got paid $3 for the movie: $1 each for directing, writing, and acting, but it didn’t bother him at all. His works paid off as the movie got nominated for multiple awards after it hit the theaters.
6. Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver
Source: Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Robert De Niro is one of the best movie stars who went above and beyond for their films. For the 1976 movie Taxi Driver, he got a real taxi driver’s license and worked 12-hour shifts at a New York taxi firm for over a month. That’s the next level of method acting.
7. Robert Pattinson - Good Time
Source: A24/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Speaking of method acting, Robert Pattinson also went an extra mile for his role in Good Time. The actor isolated himself in the same basement as his character for 2 whole months. He didn’t even open his curtains or change his sheets!
8. Kristen Stewart - On The Road
Source: IFC Films/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
Kristen Stewart was really moved when she heard that director Walter Salles had tried to make this film happen for over 50 years. So when she found out that they didn’t have enough budget to make the movie, the actress almost donated all of her payment to the project. She liked her character in that movie, and that was enough for her.
9. Forest Whitaker - Bird
Source: Warner Bros./ Courtesy of Everett Collection
To bring his character to life, Forest Whitaker bought every book about the saxophonist Charlie ’Bird’ Parker, listened to every record, and talked to everybody who knew him personally even if he had to fly to Europe. Whitaker even learned how to play saxophone for the movie!
10. Ethan Hawke - The Purge
Source: Universal Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection
It was a go big or go home moment for Ethan Hawke when he accepted the invitation to star in The Purge. He received almost no upfront payment in exchange for a slice of the profits while working on the movie. On top of that, the actor didn’t even have a trailer or a personal driver, or any of the usual perks an actor would typically have. However, he still took his chance because he liked his character.
Those were some movie stars who went above and beyond for their movies. Thanks to their efforts, we got to see some of the best movies ever. Similarly to these guys,
these actors also have their own challenges to overcome, but they still nail their roles.