Inside the minds of Hollywood’s most extreme method actors

Method acting is one of the most well-known and controversial concepts in the history of performance.

 It is a technique that involves fully comprehending and experiencing a character’s life as if it were your own.

Here are a few of the most famous actor who opted for method acting for their iconic roles:

Jared Leto

Jared is known for his commitment to method acting, often engaging in extreme and unconventional behaviours during his roles, such as sending disturbing gifts to co-stars, staying in character off-set, and insisting on maintaining a character’s physical attributes like a limp for extended periods.

In 2017’s Suicide Squad, to help get into as the Joker, he pulled a prank by gifting Margot Robbie a real rat.

“I did a lot of things to create a dynamic, to create an element of surprise, of spontaneity, and to really break down any kind of walls that may be there. The Joker is somebody who doesn’t really respect things like personal space or boundaries,” Jared explained in a 2022 interview.

Christian Bale

Christian has gone to extreme lengths for his roles, including drastically changing his weight

He not only transformed his physique for The Fighter and American Hustle, but he also reportedly lost nearly 70 pounds for his performance as insomniac Trevor Reznik in 2004’s The Machinist, during which he slept only two hours a night.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga revealed she spent nine months speaking in an Italian accent, even off-camera, and lived as her character day-to-day for a year and a half while portraying Patrizia Reggiani in 2021’s House of Gucci.

However, she admitted that she “had some psychological difficulty at one point towards the end of filming” once she started adjusting back to her normal life.

Austin Butler

Austin Butler revealed that he didn’t see his family for three years while filming the 2022 movie, Elvis, saying he went months without talking to anyone during production.

“When I did, the only thing I was ever thinking about was Elvis,” he said, adding, “I was speaking in his voice the whole time.”

The actor shared that intense acting approach took a toll on him, as he lost touch with who he actually was.

Jim Carey

While portraying Andy Kaufman in the 1999 biopic Man on the Moon, Jim stayed in character throughout, even insisting that crew members refer to him as Andy.