1. George Clooney Permanently Damaged His Back For Syriana
When you suddenly develop chronic migraines and find spinal fluid leaking out of your nose because you acted too hard, there's probably a lesson in there about how the Oscar wasn't worth it. That's exactly what happened to George Clooney as a result of his dedication for Stephen Gaghan's Syriana though, dedication that won Clooney an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2006, but also meant he'd still be getting check-ups from doctors a decade later. During the filming of a torture scene for Gaghan's political thriller, Clooney hit his head after he was thrown over the back of a chair, resulting in a serious spinal injury and a sensation that he compared to suffering from a stroke. Though crucial surgery performed at the time means Clooney now suffers less severe headaches, the pain at first had Clooney contemplating suicide, an act that would likely have caused a rise in sea level as a direct result of fans the world over uncontrollably weeping. What are your favourite instances of actors going to insane lengths to win an Oscar? Let us know in the comments below.
Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1