Method acting: it’s a buzzword in Hollywood that sparks as much admiration as it does debate. For some, it’s about diving deep, bridging the emotional gap between actor and character. For others, like “Succession” star Brian Cox, it’s an over-the-top pursuit that sometimes borders on obsession.
Lee Strasberg, considered the godfather of method acting, believed in the importance of actors drawing from their personal experiences. Jennifer Lawrence, while not a devout method actor herself, acknowledges how her techniques evolved after working with seasoned method actors.
Here’s a look at some of Hollywood’s biggest names who’ve embraced method acting:
Al Pacino
Throughout his decades-long career, Al Pacino has been known to completely immerse himself in the roles he plays. In particular, in 1992’s Scent of a Woman, the actor portrayed Lt. Col. Frank Slade, a blind man. In order to prepare for the role, Pacino reportedly sought assistance from the blind and attended a school for the blind. Before filming began, he began living his daily life as if he had lost his sight, even urging the crew to continue to treat him as if he were blind.
Jeremy Strong
In 2021, Jeremy Strong, famed for his role as Kendall Roy in “Succession,” shared his unique approach to acting in a profile for The New Yorker. While he doesn’t label himself a method actor, Strong believes in deeply immersing himself in his roles. For instance, while filming “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” he went as far as asking the stunt coordinator to physically handle him and even experience real tear gas to portray Jerry Rubin authentically. In “Armageddon Time,” he dove into his role as Irving Graff by spending time with an actual handyman. And for “The Judge,” where he played the mentally disabled Dale Palmer, Strong took the extra step of interacting with an autistic individual and even introduced props not mentioned in the script to add depth to his character. Additionally, you can also read about- Cillian Murphy – The Actor of Oppenheimer
Jared Leto
Jared Leto is known for his dedication and intense preparation for his roles. For his portrayal of the Joker in 2017’s “Suicide Squad,” he got into character by playing pranks on his co-stars, even gifting Margot Robbie a real rat. In 2022’s “Morbius,” director Daniel Espinosa mentioned that Leto remained so committed to his role that he used his character’s crutches or a wheelchair for breaks, which occasionally extended the crew’s wait time. Additionally, Leto has often transformed his physique, either shedding or gaining weight, to fit specific characters.
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro is widely recognized for his deep commitment to method acting. In the iconic 1976 film “Taxi Driver,” he went as far as driving a cab for long hours to get a real feel for the role and underwent a significant weight loss. Then, for his portrayal of Jake LaMotta in 1980’s “Raging Bull,” De Niro trained rigorously to capture the physique and essence of the renowned boxer.
Christian Bale
Christian Bale is renowned for his extreme dedication to his roles, often undergoing significant physical transformations. While he notably bulked up for “The Fighter,” “American Hustle,” and the Batman series, his dedication was arguably most evident in 2004’s “The Machinist.” For this role, Bale lost almost 70 pounds and limited his sleep to just two hours a night. However, this intense commitment took a toll on his health, prompting him to reassess and prioritize his well-being.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga deeply immersed herself in her role as Patrizia Reggiani for the 2021 film “House of Gucci.” In a chat with British Vogue, she shared that she maintained an Italian accent for nine months, both on and off set. Moreover, she lived in her character’s shoes daily for about a year and a half. After wrapping up filming, Gaga confessed that transitioning back to her regular life posed some emotional challenges.
Austin Butler
Austin Butler gave his all to embody Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.” In a recent interview, Butler shared that he was so immersed in the role that he distanced himself from his family for three years during the movie’s filming in 2022. There were even periods where he isolated himself completely. When he did communicate with loved ones, he remained in character, always channeling Elvis. This intense commitment came with its challenges. After wrapping up the film, Butler expressed how the deep immersion made him momentarily lose a sense of his own identity.
Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank is known for her deep commitment to her roles. In 1999’s “Boys Don’t Cry,” she took steps like binding her chest, modulating her voice, and losing weight to authentically represent her character. Although she now believes a transgender man should’ve played the role, at the time, she aimed for the utmost authenticity. Later, for 2004’s “Million Dollar Baby,” Swank underwent another physical transformation, putting on nearly 20 pounds of muscle and training intensely as a boxer to play Maggie Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, during this rigorous preparation, she even picked up a staph infection from a foot blister.
Joaquin Phoenix
For his role in 2019’s “Joker,” Joaquin Phoenix went to great lengths, including undergoing a dramatic weight loss of 52 pounds. In a chat with the Associated Press, Phoenix shared how this weight loss journey affected not just his physique, but also his mental well-being. He explained the challenge of obsessing over minute weight fluctuations daily and how it felt akin to a disorder. However, on the upside, he was surprised by a newfound agility and flexibility in his body. This physical transformation, he believed, greatly influenced and enriched his portrayal of the character, especially in terms of movement.
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Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman deeply immersed herself in her role for the 2010 movie, Black Swan. Although she had some background in ballet from her childhood, she took her training to a new level for the film. She practiced with a professional dancer for hours daily, supplemented her routine with swimming and cross-training, and even adopted a strict diet that led to her losing 20 pounds. In an interview with the Daily Mail, she mentioned how consuming the role was, saying, “I was working 16 hours a day and hardly eating. It felt like method acting without planning to. I can’t imagine taking on such a role while having a family. It was the most challenging experience I’ve ever had. Usually, I can switch off after work, but this role stayed with me.”
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis is renowned for his deep commitment to his roles, often immersing himself in character for extended periods. For his portrayal of Christy Brown in the 1989 film “My Left Foot,” he took his dedication to new heights. Christy Brown was a talented writer and painter with cerebral palsy who could only use his left foot. To truly understand and embody the role, Day-Lewis not only visited a cerebral palsy clinic but also insisted on being carried around set by crew members and being fed by them. Additionally, he remained in a wheelchair throughout the production.
Andrew Garfield
Andrew Garfield has openly shared his support for an intense acting approach, often diving deep into his roles. For his role as a 17th-century Jesuit priest in the 2016 film “Silence”, Garfield underwent a rigorous transformation. He embraced several spiritual practices daily, developed personal rituals, abstained from sex for six months, and fasted to shed weight for the role. Discussing this experience on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast in 2022, he said, “It was an incredibly spiritual journey. Both Adam [Driver] and I had to lose weight for the part, and the combination of celibacy and fasting led to some profound, almost trippy moments.”
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep, with her vast and diverse roles over the years, tried her hand at method acting for her portrayal of Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada” in 2006. However, this experience wasn’t a pleasant one for her. Staying in character as the stern boss throughout filming left her feeling isolated and downcast. Reflecting on this in a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she shared, “It was tough being in my trailer while hearing everyone else having fun. It really got me down. But I thought, ‘That’s what it takes to be the boss!’ After that, I decided never to go method again.”
Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer deeply immersed himself in his portrayal of musician Jim Morrison in the 1991 film “The Doors.” To truly embody the legendary rock frontman, Kilmer even had crew members address him as “Jim” on set. He dedicated himself to learning a significant portion of Morrison’s music and spent over 100 hours researching the role. After the film was released, Kilmer reportedly sought therapy to help detach from the intense character.
Jamie Foxx
In the 2004 film “Ray,” Jamie Foxx deeply committed to his portrayal of the blind blues musician, Ray Charles. He shared with The New York Times that he lost 30 pounds for the role through a strict diet and exercise routine, especially since Ray Charles had passed away from liver disease earlier that year. Moreover, the film’s director, Taylor Hackford, had Foxx wear prosthetics resembling Charles’ damaged eyelids, effectively keeping his eyes sealed shut. While this caused Foxx initial panic attacks because of the confining feeling, he eventually got used to it. As Foxx remarked, “Being in that state for 14 hours a day felt like being imprisoned.”
