13 Facts That Prove Actors Have to Go the Extra Mile for Their Roles

In childhood, many of us dreamt of becoming wealthy, famous actors. But very few of us really thought about what actors have to go through to prepare for roles and be believable on the big screen.

At Bright Side, we decided to find out what various actors do for their roles. Spoiler alert: some of them were prepared to risk their lives.

Harrison Ford — Raiders of the Lost Ark

Movie director Steven Spielberg let Harrison Ford do the boulder stunt without using a stunt double. He had to run away from a 300-pound boulder several times. This was done to capture Harrison’s face during the scene.

Dennis Quaid — The Right Stuff

Before filming the movie, Dennis Quaid hated flying on planes. But for this role, the actor learned how to fly airplanes and even acquired his pilot’s license.

Daniel Radcliffe — Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

While preparing for the movie, the actor took an intensive 6-month scuba diving course, so he could hold his breath during an underwater scene. In general, Daniel Radcliffe spent more than 40 hours underwater.

Jackie Chan — Who Am I?

Fans of old action movies know that Jackie Chan does all the stunts himself. One of his most dangerous stunts was sliding down a skyscraper, which he performed without a stunt double, of course.

Angelina Jolie — Gia

To fully realize the loneliness of her character, Angelina Jolie cut off ties with her friends and even refrained from speaking to her husband.

David Belle — District 13

The movie is full of different stunts and leaps across buildings, fences, cars, and other obstacles. One of the main actors in the movie is the founder of parkour for a reason. He did all the stunts himself without safety cords or stunt doubles.

Mahershala Ali — Green Book

To portray a real-life jazz pianist, the actor had to learn how to play piano within 3 months. He worked together with the composer of the movie and was a very diligent student.

Channing Tatum — Hail, Caesar!

Despite the expert dancing skills Channing Tatum showed off in movies like Step Up and Magic Mike, movie directors, the Coen brothers, set another task for him. Tatum had to learn how to tap in 3 months, and he did this for a scene that lasted only 6 minutes.

Choi Min-sik — Oldboy

The actor trained for 6 weeks and lost 20 pounds for this role. He also did the vast majority of his own stunts, including a single-take hallway fight scene for which the movie is best known.

Reese Witherspoon — Walk the Line

To portray singer June Carter Cash in this biopic, the actress had to learn how to sing (together with her co-star, Joaquin Phoenix) and play the autoharp.

Jamie Foxx — Collateral

For the role of a taxi driver, the actor had to actually drive around in a taxi. But for the scenes that required him to drive recklessly through the city, Jamie Foxx practiced racing on a speedway in the Mohave Desert with the movie director.

Joaquin Phoenix — The Master

Joaquin went to a dentist, so he could achieve Freddy Quell’s clenched jaw and menacing sneer. The doctor wired his jaw shut with brackets and rubber bands.

Daniel Day-Lewis — The Crucible

Daniel Day-Lewis always prepares for his roles in a serious way. And this movie was no exception. The actor stayed in the film set’s replica village without electricity or running water, and according to the press, and he didn’t take showers. Additionally, the actor tended to fields with seventeenth-century tools (the era in which the movie takes place) and built his character’s house.

Do you know any other interesting facts about your favorite actors or movies? Tell us in the comments below.

Angelina Jolie’s deep bond with her late mother, Marcheline, profoundly influenced her. Marcheline’s sacrifices and love for her children, especially during her battle with cancer, left an indelible mark on Angelina’s approach to motherhood and life.

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