The most extreme things actors have done to prepare for their biggest movie roles
Being an actor is not as easy and as glamorous as many might think. Yes, they rub shoulders with the most influential people in the world, they have enviable cars and mansions, their vacations are dreamy and their bank accounts would leave you speechless. However, it's good to know that all of this comes with a hefty price tag.
To gain great status and prove that they are the best at what they do, both the hottest actors and actresses in Hollywood must also do crazy things in order to deliver their best performance in front of the cameras.
Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis in Black Swan
These girls had to prepare well in advance to masterfully interpret a pair of ballet dancers. This discipline is so complicated that both had to train for eight hours a day, even a year before they started filming.
Charlize Theron in Monster
The role of Charlize in this drama film is simply unforgettable, because to become Aileen, the actress had to gain more than 15 kilos and wear uncomfortable facial prosthetics. Her performance earned her a SAG, a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables
For the role of a tubercular prostitute as Fantine, Anne was forced to lose about five kilos and shave her long hair. In order to portray Fantine, Hathaway underwent a fairly extreme diet that she described as "a little crazy."
Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn
Playing Marylin Monroe is no easy feat, and Williams knows it. To achieve a fairly credible role of the diva, the actress dedicated herself to listening to various interviews with Monroe for months, in order to imitate her tone of voice perfectly. Also, she used a belt on her knees to achieve Marilyn's walk.
Christian Bale in The Machinist
Bale's transformation for his role in this film was impressive. The actor known for his good physical condition lost 30 kilos thanks to a diet that consisted of "water, an apple, and a cup of coffee a day, with an occasional whiskey."
Kate Winslet in The Reader
Kate is one of those people who usually take their work home, and her children were eyewitnesses to this. To interpret her role as Hanna Schmitz, Winslet had to perfect her German accent, for which she had no better idea than to read stories to her little ones with this particular way of speaking, before they went to sleep. .
Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The character that Rooney had to play in this film had a very particular look, with which she had to commit 100% to be credible enough. So it was out of that love of art that Mara decided to get her nipples pierced for real. Ouch!
