This legendary actor is not afraid of a challenge, so it’s really not surprising to see what he did for some of his films. Even though it’s not out of character, his work on “Taxi Driver” really stood out. The actor got himself a fake and illegal taxi license so that he could drive people around New York and get some inspiration.
He also practiced boxing with real-life Jake Lamotta for”Raging Bull”, making his boxing skill look super authentic. The actor even at one point broke the guy’s ribs and knocked out his teeth. Yikes.
Shia LaBeouf – Fury
Shia LaBeouf didn't want to just rely on makeup artists to make his wounds look real. He took it a step further and actually decided to cut up his cheek and leave the sore open for the entirety of the production. It didn't stop there. The actor then proceeded to pull out a tooth to amp up the pain.
Of course, when you're portraying a dirty soldier, hygiene isn't a priority, which is why the actor also didn't bathe for a whole month. The rest of the crew and actors had a real hard time working with that smell and pleaded with the actor to go to a different room in between shoots. That's commitment right there!
Ashton Kutcher – Jobs
Ashton Kutcher was determined to get it right for his big role as Steve Jobs in the film "Jobs." The actor tried to copy the notorious tech lord in every way he could, starting with his actual diet. Apparently, that meant a diet made up solely of fruit. Unfortunately, Kutcher's body had a harder time with that than Jobs did, as the actor ended up in the hospital due to severe vitamin deficiency and reduction in bone density
Thankful, the "That '70s Show" actor recovered and returned to production. To put yourself through such medical distress for a role really shows how badly the actor wanted to make it successful. In the end, he didn't do a bad job, Jobs!
Johnny Depp – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Hunter Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas gave Johnny Depp a real opportunity to show off his acting chops. To get as close as he could to the real-life version he went for some interesting choices, one of which involved sleeping next to explosives. Just like Thompson would do.
The actor also took some hardcore substances during shooting and according to insiders even shows up to the audition in Thompossons clothes that had not been washed for thirty years. The directors obviously really appreciated that.
Joaquin Phoenix – I’m Still Here
When portraying Freddie Quell in the film "I’m Still Here", Joaquin Phoenix really channeled the crazy. Apparently, it's something you just have to do when playing an actor who is going out of control. And no one knows that better than the insane actor himself.
Phoenix even made an appearance on David Letterman completely in character. The interview ended up being really confusing and a little hard to watch after a while.