History Main / MethodActing

* Creator/JaredLeto caused much [[MemeticMutation internet eye-rolling]] with his much-publicised [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy on-set antics]] while playing the Joker in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'', which included things like sending dead animals and used sexual items to his costars. When the film came out, his [[AdvertisedExtra his character's part was smaller than the level of attention led most to believe]], and his performance in general was considered a CharacterTic ClicheStorm. [[http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/08/hollywood-has-ruined-method-acting/494777/ Several]] [[http://dorkshelf.com/2016/08/09/jared-leto-is-the-reason-suicide-squad-is-terrible/ commentators]] went so far as to suggest that Leto's puerile, superficial view of the Method and resulting bad performance (his behaviour being so insufferable that his coworkers couldn't talk to him about the film) [[DiscreditedTrope may have caused the whole pursuit to fall out of fashion]].

* In ''Film/{{Birdman}}'', Mike Shiner is an extreme proponent of this. He drinks real gin on stage during a preview performance, nearly rapes Leslie while on stage, and demands that Riggan get a more realistic looking gun, all in an effort to be "more real."

* Prior to filming ''Film/TheHustler'', Creator/PaulNewman had never held a pool cue before. To prepare for the role, he took out the dining room table from his home and installed a pool table so he could spend all his free time practicing.

-->-- ''Hooray for Holly Kongo Bongo'', '''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'''

On top of this, method actors often feel the need to undergo extreme physical changes to fit the part, such as Creator/ChristianBale gaining and losing a hundred pounds for Batman or ''Film/TheMachinist'', or Creator/BradPitt deliberately re-chipping a tooth for ''Film/FightClub''. Even when you're not making it a point to break bones or teeth for a film, those sorts of changes can leave permanent scars on your body and its responses to future situations. [[TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs This is not a good thing.]]

For the involuntary version of this, see EnforcedMethodActing. For when a writer/director casts an actor for his natural fit into a role (natural method acting, if you may), see WriteWhoYouKnow. If the character falls too deep into their role, they may become LostInCharacter.

A disclaimer is probably needed for anyone looking to try method acting: the process is controversial for a reason. Not only is it physically and emotionally exhausting, but it can also cause lasting psychological harm to an actor. This is because acting can alter the activity of a person's brain to fit the character they're portraying; staying in one role for too long will cause that character to gradually override the actor's state of mind, and suddenly dropping the character after a performance is complete can really throw the actor for a loop. In many cases, method acting gone wrong can result in the actor facing severe mental health issues and a lack of personal identity, hence the aforementioned case of Stanislavski's student breaking down. Actors who specialize in method acting often have to take long breaks between roles in order to recover from the immense psychological strain they cause, and some, like Creator/DanielDayLewis, retire much earlier than non-method actors partly because of the dangers posed by the craft.

* Creator/JimCarrey pretended to be Creator/AndyKaufman for the entire duration of filming ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'', which drove most of his coworkers nuts. Once production wrapped up though, Carrey found himself feeling hollow inside, his entire state of mind having been shattered by the Kaufman persona. Much of his more infamous antics since then can be attributed in part to the sheer extent to which his mind was messed up by the persona.

* Creator/AndyKaufman was a method actor who took the technique far beyond stage and screen. With certain characters, he absolutely refused to break because there were always people around from whom he could get a reaction. His dedication was such that his gags could last days or weeks. His "Tony Clifton" persona, in particular, was so all-consuming that Tony was treated as a separate entity, even getting separate contracts from Andy.

* Especially at the beginning of his career, Creator/RobertDeNiro was a prolific method actor. His roles in ''Film/RagingBull'' and ''Film/TaxiDriver'' are notable examples. Allegedly, in ''Film/TheUntouchables'', he insisted upon wearing the same clothes made by UsefulNotes/AlCapone's tailor, even the underwear.

* Creator/JohnnyDepp would never call himself a Method actor, but appears to have shades of it nonetheless--he does extensive research and background reading on nearly all of his roles, especially when portraying real people. He even lived with friend Creator/HunterSThompson when portraying him in ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'', saying he had to "steal a bit of his soul." (He also let Hunter, [[CrazyAwesome who was wearing a mining hat at that time, shave his head]].) On ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'', his commitment nearly became FatalMethodActing: he passed out from heat exhaustion while filming the scene when Edward flees down the street back to his castle.

* Creator/ShiaLaBeouf actually took acid for his role in ''The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman.'' Not off-screen just so he'd know what it felt like, but while he actually was shooting the film. For ''Film/Fury2014'' he cut his face, pulled a tooth, and stopped bathing, which got him kicked out of the cast accommodations.
** He has compared this to Creator/SeanPenn being strapped to a real electric chair for ''Film/DeadManWalking''.

* Creator/MarlonBrando is arguably the first great method actor.... until he started phoning in it, [[Film/TheIslandOfDrMoreau1996 wearing ice buckets on his head, etc]]. However, given a role and script that interest him, like ''Film/LastTangoInParis'' and he proves to be super-efficient and competent and a darling to the crew.

* Interestingly, [[MilitaryAndWarfareTropes military fiction]] is an entire GENRE that pretty much demands method acting from performers. Actors getting actual military training for their roles is pretty much a given in any proper military work.
** An interesting double-twist: for ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', all the actors except Creator/MattDamon had training, which [[EnforcedMethodActing subconsciously gave the other actors contempt for him]] being a rookie who is being removed from combat and discharged, reflecting the characters. Clever move, [[Creator/StevenSpielberg Spielberg]].
*** It should be noted that Damon was not exempt from the training every other actor went through, but rather, was brought in during the final weeks of a very grueling boot camp and generally treated with much more leniency than the others. Same effect, though.
** Similarly, when producing ''{{Film/Aliens}}'', Creator/JamesCameron had all of the actors playing the {{Space Marine}}s attend a Hollywood boot camp, except for the actor playing [[EnsignNewbie Lieutenant Gorman]]. Also, their introductory scenes were filmed last, to give the best impression that these were people who knew each other and worked together.
** ''Film/TropicThunder'' (see fictional examples) was directly inspired by how rampant this trope is in war movies, as well as being a massive TakeThat / {{Deconstruction}} towards the method. Creator/BenStiller played an extra in ''Film/EmpireOfTheSun'' early in his career, and was deeply disgusted by how [[KnowNothingKnowItAll unduly arrogant]] his fellow actors tended to behave after the Hollywood boot camp sessions, [[IKnowMortalKombat talking like they were real soldiers because they did a couple training exercises for about a week]].

* InUniverse, Kirk Lazarus from ''Film/TropicThunder'' is famous for taking method acting to ridiculous extremes, having gotten plastic surgery to play a black man for his role in the [[ShowWithinAShow Movie Within the Movie]]. And for all of his roles, he always stays in character 24/7 until he is done recording the DVDCommentary.
** In the actual DVDCommentary for ''Film/TropicThunder'', Creator/RobertDowneyJr stayed true to his character's word and did it entirely in-character as Kirk Lazarus ''in-character as Lincoln Osiris''. When they get to the "I don't break character until after the DVD commentary" line in the movie, Ben Stiller tells him to knock it off, and he does so... continuing the commentary as Kirk Lazarus. When Lazarus finally breaks character near the end of the movie, so does Robert Downey Jr. in the commentary.

* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898794 Personality Swap AU]]'' starts with the entirety of Class 1A trying to act as one of their classmates, though the only two with any success are Izuku and Katsuki, who are playing each other. Aizawa, impressed by Izuku's perfect portrayal of Katsuki, sends him several other such assignments. Every time, Izuku stays completely in character the entire day, including using their fighting styles and finding a way to imitate their Quirks. Given that Izuku will share information that only his characters should know and seamlessly switch places/work with them[[note]]Toshinori finds Izuku-as-Snipe sharing a story that only Toshinori himself and Snipe know and Mei and Izuku-as-Mei perfectly work together on various gadgets, even passing each other needed tools without speaking a word[[/note]], several note that it's almost as though he's been possessed by his role.

* Creator/JamesDean was a method actor to the extreme, although it often worked: he kept everyone waiting while he brooded in his dressing room on the set of ''Film/RebelWithoutACause'', but then pulled off the police station scene in one take. He also ad-libbed the very effective moment in ''Film/EastOfEden'' when Cal breaks down and tearfully embraces his father when he refuses to accept the money he is offering (much to Raymond Massey's obvious shock). Not everyone was a fan of his style, though; he annoyed Rock Hudson to no end with his extensive preparation on ''Film/{{Giant}}''.

* Creator/JohnnyDepp would never call himself a Method actor, but appears to have shades of it nonetheless--he does extensive research and background reading on nearly all of his roles, especially when portraying real people. He even lived with friend Creator/HunterSThompson when portraying him in ''Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'', saying he had to "steal a bit of his soul." (He also let Hunter, [[CrazyAwesome who was wearing a mining hat at that time, shave his head]].) On ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'', his commitment nearly became FatalMethodActing: he passed out from heat exhaustion while filming the scene when Edward flees down the street back to his castle.

* When he was cast as Cardassian spy-turned-tailor Garak on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Andrew Robinson prepared for his role by writing a 200-plus page character outline and {{Backstory}} for Garak, which he used as his personal bible for the character. The show's producers approved of most of his backstory, except for portions that went counter to established Cardassian history. Robinson later used most of his outline as the basis for his ExpandedUniverse novel ''[[Literature/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineAStitchInTime A Stitch In Time]]''.

* On ''Series/LoisAndClark'', John Shea took Lex Luthor very seriously. Not only did he study Nietzsche, but he checked himself into John Jay College of Criminal Justice ''in-character'' to get a diagnosis on 'his' pathology.

** Polly Holiday as Mrs. Deagle in ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'', leading Zach Galligan to think that she really wasn't a nice person.
** Mark Metcalf in both ''Film/AnimalHouse'' and ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.

* ''Series/TheMandalorian'' star Pedro Pascal and his body doubles, Brendan Wayne and Creator/LateefCrowder, sometimes continue to wear Mandalorian helmets in between takes, even after shedding the rest of the armor for street clothes. While recording ADR, Pascal copies Mando's motions, going so far as to use a pillow as a decoy for the Child. For scenes that Creator/{{Lucasfilm}} shot with either Wayne or Crowder instead of Pascal, he'd ask the double for Mando's thoughts and emotions while preparing for the dubbing session.

* Probably no actor has been associated with method acting quite as prominently as Creator/DanielDayLewis. He simply IS his character for the duration of his role and gets so deep that he, in certain cases, even refuses to learn his lines because he feels that doing so will add an element of artifice to his performances. For his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning performance in ''My Left Foot'', he did not leave his wheelchair, speak coherently, or even feed himself for the entire filming. For ''Film/LastOfTheMohicans'' he became a survivalist living off the land. For his role in ''Film/InTheNameOfTheFather'', he lived in a prison cell, basically starved himself and asked the cast and crew to constantly verbally abuse him. While this definitely does result in amazing and spontaneous performances, it also made him one of the most notoriously picky and difficult actors to work with in all of Hollywood[[note]]Many actors, including Creator/LiamNeeson, flat out refuse to work with him because his approach creates uncomfortable tension on set. During filming of ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'', Neeson infamously shouted at Day-Lewis "Jesus Christ, man! Why don't you just try '''acting''' instead?!"[[/note]]. Whatever one's opinion of him and his method, though, there's no debating that he is one of the most admired and critically acclaimed actors working today. With his win for ''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' in 2013, he became the first man to win three Best Actor Oscars.

* Creator/DustinHoffman is another method actor. There's a famous anecdote about classical actor Creator/LaurenceOlivier's reaction to his method when they worked together on ''Film/MarathonMan''; Hoffman decided to stay up for three nights to look the part, to which Olivier reacted with the amusing line: "Try acting dear boy, it's much easier." (Olivier himself said later that the anecdote was a result of OutOfContextEavesdropping, and that although he did say something of the sort to Hoffman it was in response to something unrelated to the Method. But it's such a neat story that it persists regardless.)

* A pretty funny example: Voice actor Creator/JMichaelTatum once came from a recording session of ''Manga/BlackButler'' to ''WebComic/AxisPowersHetalia'' he couldn't get himself to do the voice of France, who has a completely different accent to Sebastian, who is English. When Tatum takes a Snuggy, yes, a ''Snuggy'' and when he wears it, France's voice comes back to him.

* In ''{{Series/Castle}}'', Natalie Rhodes is preparing to play Nikki Heat. To do so, she shadows Kate Beckett, the detective who inspired the character, imitating and analyzing everything she does. HilarityEnsues.

* In ''{{Film/Birdman}}'', Mike Shiner is an extreme proponent of this. He drinks real gin on stage during a preview performance, nearly rapes Leslie while on stage, and demands that Riggan get a more realistic looking gun, all in an effort to be "more real."

* The bread and butter of the Villain Team in ''FanFic/HeroClassCivilWarfare''. Izuku even studied several famous fictional supervillains to understand what made them compelling. Izuku even has the villain team spend time together before the exercise so they would get used to seeing themselves as a team. He even has Momo and Mei make all them specialized suits and dresses so they could deeper commit to the role.

* According to the "Making of a Legend" featurette on 20th Anniversary DVD of ''Film/RoboCop1987'', Creator/PeterWeller attempted to do this in the first few weeks of filming, insisting that the cast and crew call him either (depending on the scene) [=RoboCop=] or Alex during filming. This later got dropped, but director Creator/PaulVerhoeven, and actors Creator/KurtwoodSmith (Boddicker) and the late Creator/MiguelFerrer (Morton) thought it was too silly and respectively refused to indulge it, refused to talk to Weller outside of filming scenes together for the first week, and busted his chops over it.

* Creator/PeterWeller is fond of doing this, to the point of causing HostilityOnTheSet. Case in point, insisting on being "Robo" or "Murphy" during the few few weeks of filming of ''Film/RoboCop1987'' annoyed director Creator/PaulVerhoeven (who found it silly and flat-out state he couldn't bring himself to do it) and co-stars Creator/KurtwoodSmith (who choose to initially ignore Weller if they weren't filming) and the late Creator/MiguelFerrer (who basically said "Screw that!" and intentionally addressed Weller by his real name).

* Similarly, Creator/EllenPage dropped weight over the course of filming ''Film/AnAmericanCrime'', in which she portrayed Sylvia Likens, a real-life young woman who was tortured and starved [[spoiler:and eventually died]] in her neighbor's basement. When asked if she was eating normally, she said: "No, because Sylvia wasn't being fed."

* Many ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' cast members personally met the historical figures they would portray on the show, in order to ensure the authenticity of their performances. Creator/BoydHolbrook even arranged for himself and Creator/PedroPascal to receive a week of DEA training from the real Steve Murphy and Javier Peña.

* As noted above, Creator/JeffGoldblum studied under Sanford Meisner, and as follows he can be extremely committed to his roles whether he is given room to improvise (as in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'') or not (his work with Creator/WesAnderson, in which he cannot change a single word -- not even an article). The most extreme case of this was playing Seth Brundle in ''Film/TheFly1986'': He regularly worked out with weights to achieve Seth's initial post-fusion physique and was able to do most of the start and endpoints of the acrobatic routines that were otherwise performed by doubles who were professional gymnasts, and drank a great deal of coffee to achieve the "speedy little tempo rhythm" of a fly, all of this on top of the physical contortions and hours of makeup needed for the later stages of his SlowTransformation. He also took Seth's insecurity over his relationship with Veronica so much to heart -- not hard to do given she was played by his actual lover at the time, Creator/GeenaDavis -- that, while watching the filming of the scenes between her and the third corner of the LoveTriangle, he fussed over how they were playing out to the point of once being asked to leave the set. The payoff of all this was his StarMakingRole.

* Many ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' cast members personally met the historical figures they would portray on the show, in order to ensure the authenticity of their performances. Creator/BoydHolbrook and Creator/PedroPascal even received a week of DEA training from the real Steve Murphy and Javier Peña.

* Many ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' cast members personally met the historical figures they would portray on the show, in order to ensure the authenticity of their performances. Creator/BoydHolbrook and Creator/PedroPascal[[note]]who's also practiced method acting for a number of other roles[[/note]] even received a week of DEA training from the real Steve Murphy and Javier Peña.

* ''Series/TheMandalorian'' star Pedro Pascal apparently talks with a cowboy-like dialect in between takes, befitting the show's SpaceWestern tone. Additionally, he and his body doubles, Brendan Wayne and Creator/LateefCrowder, sometimes continue to wear Mandalorian helmets in between takes, even after shedding the rest of the armor for street clothes. While recording ADR, Pascal copies Mando's motions, going so far as to use a pillow as a decoy for the Child. For scenes that Creator/{{Lucasfilm}} shot with either Wayne or Crowder instead of Pascal, he'd ask the double for Mando's thoughts and emotions while preparing for the dubbing session.