5 Actors Who Risked Their Health For a Movie Role

2. Christian Bale in The Machinist

The Metamorphosis:Gaaahhh! Look at him! Look at him! He's like a skeleton enemy from a video game! Bale's character suffers weight loss due to chronic insomnia, and... good grief, dude. He lost 65 pounds.The Method: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. An apple, one cup of coffee, and some water was all Bale partook of in order to turn himself concave.The Damage: "I decided no more social life, no more friends, no more dinners, no more drinks." Well that's fun! The producers actually had to force Bale to stop losing weight. Who knows how far he would have gone, otherwise.Was it Worth It? Hard to say. On the one hand, Bale and the film were generally praised. On the other hand, it hasn't really made much of a dent in the popular consciousness. In fact, I only ever hear it brought up when it comes to Bale's weight loss. Well, at least it's remembered for something?
 
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Dan Schindel loves movies more than you do. He considers it an accomplishment to have survived a year and counting in Los Angeles. Someday, he'll be the greatest critic in the world. He spent a year watching a documentary every day, so now he knows everything.