9 Completely Pointless Preparations By Method Actors

4. Ryan Gosling Trained Tirelessly At Muay Thai For A Film Where He Gets His Arse Kicked

Gosling again, proving he's a true modern advocate of doing pointless method things for roles. Though this time, thankfully, he actually got the part and managed to be its star in the final cut; with his Drive director and best buddy Nicolas Winding Refn at the helm, why wouldn't he? After Refn sent Gosling a script for a Bangkok-set crime thriller in which Gosling was to play a Muay Thai expert and boxing gym owner, Gosling immediately underwent rigorous training (this was in September 2011; the film didn't shoot until spring 2012). This included learning Muay Thai for two to three hours a day, four days a week and adopting a traditional Thai diet. Here's the problem: Only God Forgives is the film where Gosling's Julian challenges Vithaya Pansringarm's Chang AKA the Angel of Death to a fight, doesn't land a single punch and subsequently gets used as a human mop (ie Chang wipes the floor with him). Still, impressive guns, Ry.