7 Actors Who Went Through Hell For Filming

It's hard to imagine somebody who wouldn't want a career in the performing arts. Being compensated generously to assume a false identity? Furthermore, you will gain widespread recognition. This, however, is easier said than done. A lot of hard work is involved, especially if you want some of that delicious critical acclaim, even if you manage to become one in a hundred ambitious performers that do good for themselves.
However, some go above and beyond for their performances. Of course, some actors and actresses go above and beyond the call of duty, whether it be through physical transformations, full-on method acting, or extensive training. In this article, we'll examine several extreme examples.

1. Charlize Theron In Monster (2003)

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It's difficult to conceive of someone who wouldn't want a life working in the performing arts. Being paid a lot of money to pretend to be someone else? In addition, your fame will spread far and wide. But this is simpler to say than to accomplish. Even if you become the one ambitious performer in a hundred who does well for themselves, there is a lot of hard work involved, especially if you want some of that sweet critical acclaim.
But then there are those whose performances truly stand out. Of course, some actors and actresses always go the extra mile, whether through a complete physical makeover, an all-out method acting approach, or simply years of rigorous training. Several severe cases will be discussed in this article.

2. Demi Moore In G.I. Jane (1997)

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The fictional protagonist of the book/movie G.I. Jane is the first female to undergo special operations training. Demi Moore, who plays the major character, was so committed to the part that she trained with actual NAVY seals, despite being advised that she wasn't required to do so. Unfortunately, as this inclusion on our list perhaps attests, hard labor is not necessarily rewarded with fantastic results. At best, critics were underwhelmed, and by the end of the year, Demi Moore had "won" the Razzie for worst actress.

3. Leonardo DiCaprio In The Revenant (2015)

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Leonardo DiCaprio's Oscar win for his role in the survival epic The Revenant will go down in history, but it looks like he went through hell and back to get there. Due to the film's location in a remote, cold area, the actor often had to work in sub-freezing temperatures (and wet bearskin) while rushing to be ready for each day's shooting. Because of this, DiCaprio put himself in danger of hypothermia on multiple occasions. Later, when discussing the film, DiCaprio called it the "epitome of pain."

4. Anne Hathaway In Les Misérables (2012)

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"I'd lost an unhealthy amount of weight in two weeks." Hathaway commented later, "I didn't know anything about nutrition. I taxed my body, and my brain bore the brunt of it for a while. I just felt very anxious and very lost at that time."

5. Heath Ledger In The Dark Knight (2008)

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Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Ledger actively contributed to creating the Joker's look. He would lock himself away in a London hotel for more than a month to fully immerse himself in the role, during which time he would work on developing the Joker's voice, mannerisms, and appearance. Ledger's already-existing sleeplessness would likely worsen throughout his preparation for this role. It was also speculated that Ledger's role in The Dark Knight may have contributed to his untimely death.

6. Natalie Portman In Black Swan (2010)

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During her eight hours of daily practice and rehearsal, Portman subsisted primarily on carrots and almonds. It's easy to see how this would put an extreme emotional and physical burden on Portman, leaving her exhausted and possibly injured.
"There were several nights when I felt I truly was going to die," Portman would say in interviews years later. All that effort paid off, though, as the actress went on to win an Academy Award for her performance.

7. Christian Bale In The Machinist (2004)

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It's nothing new for Christian Bale to alter his appearance for an acting part. But in 2004's The Machinist, Bale played Trevor Reznik, a man with severe insomnia, paranoia, remorse, and hallucination, and he elevated things to a whole new level.
The director, Brand Anderson, intended to make Reznik appear gaunt by having him wear loose clothing and a lot of makeup. Bale's dedication to the job required him to go to extraordinary lengths, including a daily regimen of an apple, water, and coffee in addition to the occasional shot of whiskey and a pack of cigarettes. All in all, Bale shed roughly 62 pounds and only weighed 120 pounds while filming. When asked about his experience working on the film, Bale said that he felt "Zen"-like after losing so much weight.