An article about overly committed actors taking their parts too seriously wouldn't be complete without Daniel Day Lewis, a man whose tireless dedication to the craft has led to some of the most incredible performances in the history of modern cinema. Day Lewis has the effortless ability to transform himself so comprehensively into any given character that often he becomes completely unrecognisable. Singling out a particular performance to highlight his dedication is a tricky task since there are several which fit the description, but while his lengthy boxing training with Barry McGuigan for The Boxer or his time at a cerebral palsy clinic for My Left Foot can be seen as necessary preparation for the respective roles, his total immersion into the part of Abraham Lincoln - even going so far as to sign off his text messages "Abe" (presumably whilst wondering what the strange contraption was in his hands, since the President was surely unaware of mobile phones) - represented a level of dedication above and beyond the call of acting duty. Director Steven Spielberg upped the ante himself, suggesting that Day Lewis insist that everyone on set, both cast and crew, referred to him always as "Mr. President." The film might have been long-winded and rather dull to many audiences, but that doesn't detract from his consistently brilliant performance. Most actors can only dream of inhabiting the screen with such power and presence. Which committed actors do you think took a role way too seriously? Agree or disagree with the choices on this list? Why not post a comment below and let us know?
