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The method-acting approach traces its origins to the early 20th-century teachings of the Russian theatrical realist Konstantin Stanislavski, whose work influenced Lee Strasberg to father the concept as we know it today in Hollywood sometime around the '50s. The technique requires actors to draw on their own genuine experiences and emotions, often times replicating external conditions of their characters, in order to perform with a higher degree of authenticity.

From visiting real crack dens to joining the US National Guard, check out this gallery to see which actors fully embraced the concept of method acting—some even going a little too far.

▲To prepare for 'Last of The Mohicans,' the famed method actor reportedly spent six months living in the wild, only eating animals he killed and skinned himself. For 'The Crucible,' Day-Lewis apparently lived on set, which was a replica of a colonial village with no electricity or running water. It's rumored he also built his own 17th-century house, using only the tools America's settlers would have had.

▲Day-Lewis also remained in character throughout the making of 'My Left Foot,' never leaving his wheelchair even off set, and insisting on being spoon-fed by the crew. He approached 'Lincoln' the same way, even sending text messages as Abe himself.

▲To prepare for his role in 'The Dark Knight,’ the actor locked himself in a motel for over a month, sleeping very little and developing the psychology and mannerisms of the Joker. Director Christopher Nolan revealed that Ledger even developed the Joker's makeup and applied it himself during shooting.

▲Kilmer allegedly donned Jim Morrison's clothes and frequented his favorite hangouts to get into character for 'The Doors.' His portrayal of the singer was so convincing, in fact, that the surviving members of the band couldn't distinguish him, or his voice, from that of their late front man.

▲Williams reportedly bound her legs together to develop Monroe's famous stride long before filming, so that it wouldn't have to be something she had to think about at all while the cameras were rolling.

▲Bale is very well-known for his dramatic transformations for roles, but none was ever as crazy as dropping a dangerous 60 lbs (27 kg) for 'The Machinist,' his weight falling to 121 lbs (55 kg), only to bring it back up to 190 lbs (86 kg) a few months later for 'Batman Begins.'

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For 'Walk the Line,' Phoenix took months to learn how to sing and play the guitar, and he asked the entire set to call him JR, Johnny Cash's real name. Phoenix also famously confused everyone with his mockumentary persona from 'I'm Still Here,' appearing disheveled and confused during interviews and successfully convincing people that he was losing his mind.

▲De Niro actually got his cab license and worked 12-hour shifts on the streets of New York City to prepare for 'Taxi Driver.' He was also reportedly rated at a professional level as a boxer when preparing for 'Raging Bull,' and he mastered the saxophone for his role in 'New York, New York.'

▲Angelina Jolie got so into method acting for the film 'Gia' that she told her then-husband, Johnny Lee Miller, that she would not speak to him during filming. "I'm alone; I'm dying; I'm gay; I'm not going to see you for weeks," she said.

▲Jim Carrey famously stayed in character as Andy Kaufman or his alter-ego Tony Clifton 24 hours a day while filming the biopic 'Man on the Moon.'

▲Brody sold everything he owned and moved to Europe with two bags and a keyboard, practicing every day for four hours, to get into character for 'The Pianist.' He also deprived himself of food and lost 30 lbs (13 kg), which was an experience he credited for his authentic acting.

▲When preparing for his role in 'The Men,' it's said that Brando remained bedridden in a veteran's hospital for over a month to really get in the mindset of the injured vet he would be playing.

▲In preparation for 'Black Swan,' the already small actress lost a whopping 20 lbs (9 kg) to look the part of the ballerina she played, spending a year in a rigorous ballet program so that she could actually dance in many scenes of the film, despite having a double on-hand.

▲DiCaprio put a lot of work in to earn that Best Actor Oscar for 'The Revenant.' Despite being a vegetarian, he reportedly ate wild bison liver, he put his life on the line wading into freezing rivers, and even slept in an animal carcass. "I can name 30 or 40 sequences that were some of the most difficult things I've ever had to do,” DiCaprio said of his performance.

▲To prepare for her role as a transgender male in the film 'Boys Don't Cry,' Swank reportedly spent a full month living as a boy to get into the proper headset to play the character Brandon.

▲To prepare for his role as the famous painter Jackson Pollock, Harris built a painting studio at his home and studied how to paint in the same way.

▲Nicholson allegedly underwent shock therapy treatment in real life to better understand his character in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.' The entire cast also lived at the psychiatric ward where the movie was shot, interacting with real patients and undergoing group therapy sessions.

▲In the Atlanta episode 'Teddy Perkins,' Glover took on the titular role, putting on a very creepy white face and remaining in character day and night on set, requiring everyone to call him Teddy.

▲While actually taking LSD to play a role of someone who takes LSD (in 'Charlie Countryman') might seem extreme enough, LaBeouf also revealed to Dazed that in preparation for the film 'Fury' he joined the US National Guard, was baptized, tattooed, and became a chaplain's assistant to Captain Yates for the 41st Infantry. He lived on a forward operating base for a month, then went to film the movie, during which time he pulled his own tooth out and didn't bathe for four months.

▲Cage is known for using his exotic pets as inspiration for his acting, but when preparing to play a Vietnam veteran in 'Birdy,' he had a few teeth pulled without anesthesia and spent five weeks with his face wrapped in bandages.

▲Kutcher stayed in character as Steve Jobs to the point where he ended up in the hospital two days before shooting after trying to adopt the Apple CEO's fruit-only diet.

▲Al Pacino once got so into his role as a blind man for 'Scent of a Woman' that he claimed he could not see anything on the set.

▲Beatty became the first-ever method director when he starred in and directed 'Rules Don't Apply,' doing everything as the character of Howard Hughes.

▲When she was cast as a former Nazi guard in 'The Reader,' Winslet got so into her role that she confused her kids when she kept up her German accent at home, and she couldn't fully recover or return to her normal self for weeks after shooting wrapped.

▲In 'The Disaster Artist,' based on the eponymous book by Greg Sestero about the making of cult classic movie 'The Room,' Franco reportedly stayed in character as Tommy Wiseau throughout the whole shoot, which involved a long black wig and a strong (potentially) Eastern European accent.

▲Caine believes "the rehearsals are the work; the performance is the relaxation." He relies strongly on the method acting principle that focuses on sense memory, and has mastered the ability to cry on command by using it.

▲For his character in 'Dallas Buyers Club,' Leto dropped 40 lbs (18 kg) and dressed in drag both on and off set. He similarly lost weight for his role in 'Requiem For a Dream,' though for that film he also abstained from sex and hung out with junkies in New York so that he could learn more about addiction.

▲As part of Leto's method for 'The Suicide Squad,' the actor sent his costars twisted presents including a live rat, bullets, and a dead hog, along with some heartfelt notes.

▲Writer Cameron Crowe said the young Penn insisted on being called by his character's name on the set of 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High,' and later actor John Leguizamo said that he was scarred for life after working with Penn on 'Causalities of War,' and is still a little scared when he bumps into him.

▲For his touching performance as Caesar in 'War for the Planet of the Apes,' Serkis was reportedly led by movement choreographer and actor Terry Notary on all fours for hikes in the Canadian woods. They would apparently spend two-hour stints only communicating as apes.

▲Dustin Hoffman is rumored to be tough to work with because he is always in character on the set. He even went as far as to deprive himself of sleep to get into the head of his character in 'Marathon Man.'

▲Robin Williams reportedly went around town as Mrs. Doubtfire to stay in character for the role.

▲Berry wanted to get inside the head of the drug addict she played in Spike Lee's film 'Jungle Fever.' She reportedly visited a crack den and didn't bathe for two weeks.

▲James Dean was one of the first people to adopt method acting for the screen, but he also reportedly annoyed people with his excessive preparation and dedication to his roles. That being said, his work paid off and he was often able to do scenes in one take.

▲Hathaway reportedly ate nothing but dried oatmeal paste for two weeks to lose 25 lbs (11 kg) for her role in 'Les Misérables.' In addition, she cut off all her hair—something both the director and hair and makeup artist apparently advised her against—to attempt to understand the pain of a mother willing to do anything to keep her child alive. It seemed to work, since she took home the Best Supporting Actress award.

Hollywood's most extreme method actors

It's not all pretend

13/02/19 por StarsInsider

MOVIES Actors

From visiting real crack dens to joining the US National Guard, check out this gallery to see which actors fully embraced the concept of method acting—some even going a little too far.