In the acting world, nothing quite matches the intensity of 'the method'. What began life as a word denoting a style of acting based largely on the use of sense memory has become a catch-all term for the actor doing whatever it takes, no matter how extreme, to become the character. "Whatever it takes", for the uninitiated, includes losing a life-endangering amount of weight, staying in character for 18 months and being dragged through mud by buffalo (all Christian Bale). The point of method acting - in the contemporary sense - is for the performer to train themselves by getting into the right headspace, learning new skills and/or moulding their bodies so they can give the performance that best fits the role. But while going the extra mile has indeed assisted actors into giving performances of a lifetime over the years, there are examples where it's difficult to see how exactly the added level of commitment contributed to the overall performance. Examples where there doesn't seem to be much 'method' in the madness at all. Here are nine instances of method actors going too far, taking inexplicable paths of preparation or just getting plain unlucky, and subsequently finding their extra touch of dedication had actually been for nothing.
Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1
