5 Actors Who Risked Their Health For a Movie Role

By Dan Schindel /

Some actors are really dedicated to their profession. They'll go all "method" and learn how to perform all the skills their characters are supposed to be so adept at, all to make themselves more convincing. Then there are actors who go beyond dedication into something akin to madness. It's not uncommon to hear stories of people losing or gaining a not-small amount of weight for a role, but these five guys went above and beyond (below and beyond?) in the name of realism. In the process of transforming themselves physically, all of these guys inflicted actual harm upon their bodies. I'm not sure whether they should be applauded or kept under observation.

5. Taylor Kitsch in The Bang Bang Club

The Metamorphosis: Thirty-five pounds of weight shed, in order to portray a suicidally-depressed photojournalist. The Method: "I tried to run at least 10 miles a day on fruit and coffee. Just barely any protein - I was ripped at the time, so I had to lose all the muscle." The Damage: Kitsch's suffered kidney problems as a result. Oh, and was left mentally scarred as well. "The last few scenes, he€™s just a wreck, and, to play that honestly, it just took a lot out of me. You almost f**king kill yourself to get there. You need counselling, you need all this s**t to come out of that character... maybe a bit too method, I guess." You guess?Was it Worth It? The Bang Bang Club received dismal reviews and a miserable box office take, so no, I'd say it wasn't.