15 Actors Who Went To Extremes Prepping For Roles

Most people just see acting as just playing pretend. You get to make-up a character and go through the motions of a story, either written out or just random fun with your friends, both real and imaginary. The profession of acting on stage, in films, and on television could be seen as easy. Folks come in, pretend to be a cop that lost his partner, a doting wife with a dark secret, an ice cream man that kills people for fun, or some other character from a drama for a day and then get paid decent money for it. But sometimes when an actor gets into character they really earn that paycheck.

Several Hollywood stars lost weight, gained weight, got piercings, and even lost teeth for a role. Some went even more extreme, risking long-term consequences on their physical and mental health. All in the name of “pretending.” Read on to learn about what some actors put themselves through to (arguably) enhance their performance.