Method acting has brought us some of the best performances on the big screens. From moments like Heath Ledger locking himself up in a hotel room for a month or Christian Bale losing 30 kilograms, we’ve seen our fair share of the passion and difficulty that goes into acting the role of a character.
In this post, we’ll be looking at 6 of the most difficult movie roles ever.
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Michael Fassbender – Bobby Sands in Hunger
Although we commonly know Michael Fassbender as Magneto in the X-Men films, in Hunger, we see an entirely different Fassbender. Hunger is a true-to-life movie that tells the story of Bobby Sands, a member of the Irish Republican Army who is sent to prison in Northern Ireland.
In this movie, we see Michael Fassbender lose 33 pounds on a diet of berries, nuts, and sardines. Although 33 pounds may not seem like a lot for most actors, Fassbender ended up only weighing 127 pounds despite being 5’10. This brings him 3 points below the average BMI of a 5’10 male.
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Adrien Brody – Wladyslaw Szpilman in The Pianist
Adrien Brody in The Pianist has brought us one of the most compelling movies on screen, and this was only made possible through his dedication.
For a film that tackles the horrors of trying to survive in the Holocaust, Brody lost 130 pounds got rid of his apartment, TV, cell phone, and car to prepare himself for the role of Szpilman. He also took extensive piano lessons even when he had no musical background.
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Robert De Niro – Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull
Robert De Niro is one of the most legendary actors in film history, and this is one of the roles that prove to us why. For the oscar-winning film, Robert De Niro took to the ring and learned how to box with the actual Jake LaMotta. He trained rigorously for three months with LaMotta until he was deemed capable enough to box professionally.
De Niro actually entered three boxing matches in Brooklyn and won two of them. LaMotta actually praised De Niro for having boxing skills that would have catapulted him to a legitimate career in the ring. To add, Robert De Niro gained 60 pounds to portray an older and retired LaMotta. If this doesn’t scream dedication, we don’t know what does.
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Shia LaBeouf – Boyd ‘Bible’ Swan in Fury
Shia LaBeouf gained his deserved respect among film critics after his role as Bible in Fury. Taking himself from the barely compelling main character in Transformers to a devout Christian who goes through the horrors of war is not an easy thing to do.
Shia LaBeouf refused to shower for several months during the production of the film, even getting flack from his co-actors because of it. He opted to take out his own tooth and cut his own face instead of going for make-up and ended up converting to Christianity; truly embodying his character.
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Leonardo DiCaprio – Hugh Glass in The Revenant
Leo’s Oscar was long overdue, and he finally got it because of this role. DiCaprio learned two native languages so that he could speak convincingly for the role. He also learned survival skills like shooting a musket and building a fire, all while spending nine months filming in subzero temperatures. Leo also ate a raw bison’s liver on camera, despite being a devoted vegetarian.
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Heath Ledger – The Joker in The Dark Knight
All of us have probably heard of Heath Ledger’s legendary acting as the Joker in the Dark Knight and the mind-numbing experience he put himself through to prepare for the role. In fact, he was probably already in your mind when you clicked on this video.
To perfectly encapsulate a cold-blooded, mass-murdering sociopath, Heath Ledger spent a month locked away in a hotel room with no one to talk to but himself. He did nothing but experiment on voices, read comic books about the Joker, and meditate.
What did you think of our list? Are there any other difficult movie roles you think should be included in this list? Feel free to let us and the other viewers know by commenting down below.
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