10 Movie Roles That Traumatised Actors

From blindness to being pushed to the brink of sanity, Hollywood isn't as glamorous as it seems.

Liv Tyler The Strangers
Rogue Pictures

Being an actor can be tough. There're ludicrous pay packets, glamorous events, and adoring fans to deal with at every turn, making life pretty difficult for those that reach the peak of their craft in Hollywood. Terrible, isn't it?

Of course, there are times when these dire and pressing problems actually do get overshadowed by the sheer commitment of physically and mentally transforming into another person, which turns into a whole new dilemma for actors taking on some seriously messed up roles - or even working with some seriously messed up people.

From set malfunctions ending in horrible injuries and working with co-stars who don't know when to stop, to entering a headspace so dark that it's a struggle to ever see the light again, these actors have gone through hell to deliver the performance of their lives, coming out the other side with some metaphorical scars to boot.

It's undeniable that their characters take on a whole new dimension when you learn the blood, sweat, and tears that went into them. And in many cases, we mean that quite literally...

10. Jennifer Carpenter (The Exorcism Of Emily Rose)

Liv Tyler The Strangers
Screen Gems

Whilst not quite as visceral as some of the entries on this list, the good old-fashion haunted movie set has to make an appearance at some point, and it's Jennifer Carpenter's stories from The Exorcism of Emily Rose that reveal an unnerving experience from start to end.

Carpenter's titular part as the possessed Emily Rose is intense to begin with. Contorting herself into impossible shapes to truly represent demons taking control of her body, the physical demands of the role are obvious to anyone that watches. Her incessant screaming whilst on blood thinning medication actually almost caused her to pass out multiple times - but that wasn't the only upsetting thing to happen.

Multiple times whilst going to bed, Carpenter's radio would turn itself on - and always to the tune of Pearl Jam's 'Alive'. If that isn't a sign from beyond the grave, what is? Whilst it wasn't at the witching hour presented in the movie, 3:00 AM, it was still an eerie coincidence, and one that's hard to explain away as it happened more than once. Demons obviously have really good taste in music.

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Horror film junkie, burrito connoisseur, and serial cat stroker. WhatCulture's least favourite ginger.