20 Times Actors Put Their Bodies On The Line For Movie & TV Moments
Hollywood loves to talk about and reward “commitment.” Awards season interviews are full of actors insisting they “really went there” for a role. Most of the time, that just means they spent some time learning an accent, or reading a handful of autobiographies, or picking up a new skill like cooking or sewing to avoid body doubles and really get into character. Other times, it means that they completely wrecked their metabolism, shattered bones, damaged vocal cords, or clung to the outside of a moving airplane with one, measly harness for no reason other than vibes. These performances are iconic, but they also raise the question: why not just cast actors who already look like the character, especially when the role requires extreme or rapid body changes? Or, failing that, why not trust actors to do the one thing they’re hired to do — act — without demanding a physical breakdown as proof of seriousness? Is it really about the performance, or is it about the name attached to it? Or were these actors genuinely the only people on Earth capable of playing these roles?Who’s to say! What is clear is that, for most of the performances below, the suffering ultimately crystallized into something lasting — scenes, characters, and images that burned themselves permanently into pop culture. So, maybe it was worth it.
20 Robert de Niro in Cape Fear
Tribeca ProductionsBack in 1991, CGI wasn’t quite as advanced or commonplace as it is now. Every explosion, stunt, and unsettling detail you see in older movies is either a clever practical trick or, well, actually real. De Niro paid out of pocket to have his teeth intentionally damaged (and later repaired) to match Max Cady’s appearance in Cape Fear. The dental work went on to cause lasting discomfort in De Niro’s life. Why they couldn’t just go in with some black Sharpie is beyond anyone at this point, but, hey, that’s commitment.
19 Charlize Theron in Monster
Newmarket FilmsTheron gained over 30 pounds, altered her posture and gait, and wore dental prosthetics in an effort to look less like the real-life Barbie that she is. It worked a little too well. The transformation took a serious toll, with the weight gain proving far harder on her mental and hormonal health than she initially expected.
18 Ed Helms in The Hangover
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17 Christian Bale in The Machinist
Paramount ClassicsBale famously lost over 60 pounds, dropping to around 120 total pounds of bodyweight for this role. He survived primarily on a diet of coffee, apples, and cigs. His body fat fell to dangerously low levels, giving him a medically unsafe but now disturbingly iconic skeletal appearance.
16 Billy Bob Thorton in Sling Blade
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15 Christian Bale in Batman Begins
Warner Bros.Immediately after The Machinist, Bale rapidly gained over 100 pounds, overshooting the target weight and then cutting down to superhero shape. Forcing one’s body through that kind of metabolic roller coaster is significantly more dangerous than the weight change alone. But it did, at least, result in Batman.
14 Joaquin Phoenix in The Joker
Warner Bros. Phoenix lost over 50 pounds, which completely altered his posture, movement, and balance. More importantly, the drastic weight loss left him feeling emotionally unstable and isolated, seriously affecting his mental health during filming. At least he was playing a deeply deranged character and not, say, a well-to-do lawyer. If any of that instability bled into his performance as Arthur Fleck, it probably worked in the film’s favor.
13 Malcolm McDowell in A Clockword Orange
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12 Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
Warner Bros.Ledger famously performed the slow clapping scene during the hospital explosion while heavily injured. What makes it worse (or better, depending on your tolerance for method acting) is that the moment was completely improvised. No one told him to push through the pain. He was simply in the moment, in character, and apparently unwilling to stop.
11 Brad Pitt in Fight Club
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10 Jackie Chan in everything he's ever done
Golden HarvestJackie Chan performed nearly all of his own stunts throughout his career. He is now in his 70s, which means much of that career took place well before modern safety protocols were a thing anyone cared about. As a result, the legend ended up pretty battered after most films. His blooper reels are basically medical documentaries. Most notably, he was hospitalized after sliding down a pole wrapped in live electrical lights, crashing through glass, and landing on a metal kiosk, sustaining second-degree burns on his hands, a dislocated pelvis, and significant back damage. Just another day at work!
9 Laura Innes in ER
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8 Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man
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7 Choi Min-sik in Oldboy
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6 Margot Robbie in I, Tonya
LuckyChap EntertainmentRobbie trained intensively to perform competitive-level figure skating, sustaining neck injuries, a herniated disc, and chronic pain in the process. She pushed through the pain during filming and ultimately required long-term physical therapy afterward.
5 Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Paramount PicturesThis man literally clung to a real Airbus A400M during takeoff, secured by little more than a harness. He endured extreme wind speeds, intense physical strain, and the unrelenting force of gravity. All for the aura points.
4 Tony Todd in Candyman
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3 Jamie Foxx in Ray
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2 Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!
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1 Andy Serkis in The Lord of the Rings
New Line CinemaTurns out our moms were right – you really can hurt your voice by making strange noises. Serkis repeatedly damaged his vocal cords by performing the guttural, strained creature sounds required for Gollum. He needed a special concoction of honey, lemon, and ginger called “Gollum Juice" to keep up the performance on set.
