9 Insane Ways Oscar Winners Trained For Movie Blockbusters

4. Daniel Day-Lewis Trained As An Actual Butcher & Caught Pneumonia (Gangs Of New York)

Anyone with the faintest knowledge of recently-retired acting legend Daniel Day-Lewis will be aware of his literally insane commitment to method acting, which most famously almost killed him when preparing to play savage Bill "The Butcher" Cutting in Martin Scorsese's $100 million 2003 epic, Gangs of New York.

Day-Lewis not only trained as an apprentice butcher prior to shooting, but during filming would accost strangers in character, only speak to the cast in Bill's accent (even at the gym, apparently), and caught pneumonia because he refused to wear a warmer prop jacket that wouldn't have existed in the 19th century. He even turned down modern medication for the condition. What a trooper/madman.

He said of the experience, "I had to do my preparation...And I will admit that I went mad, totally mad. I remembered the days of fighting on the Millwall terraces and they stood me in good stead for Bill the Butcher. He was a bit of a punk, a marvellous character and a joy to be – but not so good for my physical or mental health."

Was It Worth It?: The role scored DDL his third Oscar Best Actor nomination and only further cemented him as the most ludicrously committed actor of his generation, so yes.