Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but it always hurts worse when something you work really hard at fails. Everyone can relate to that sentiment, even actors. If you’re familiar with the entertainment industry, you’ve probably heard crazy stories of actors doing ridiculous and sometimes unhealthy things to “get into character” using method acting.
It can consist of brutal activities like losing a ton of weight, removing teeth, and more. But if the film is successful, that’s all that matters in the end, right? Well, what about when the movie bombs? Here are ten actors who did insane things for films that, unfortunately, didn’t exactly make the splash they were hoping for.
Nicole Kidman peed on Zac Efron for The Paperboy
Lee Daniels directed this 2012 film that features a now-infamous scene where Nicole Kidman urinates on Zac Efron after his character receives a jellyfish sting. The actors were allegedly not that shy about it but during an interview with Vulture, Daniels supposedly got cold feet about including the scene and almost cut it before Kidman stopped him. Unfortunately, The Paperboy was panned by critics and only managed to earn a feeble $3.78 million at the box office.
The Cats cast had to attend a very intense cat school
This is the most recent example on this list and also one of the worst cases of a movie bombing at the theater. Acclaimed actors like Ian McKellan and Judi Dench were forced to attend a very intense “cat” school to get into character for the nonsensical musical movie.
The cast had to learn to walk and move like felines, even taking into account their tails. Sir Ian McKellan even had to learn how to sniff appropriately. Cats was a $70 million loss for Universal.
Joaquin Phoenix wired his jaw shut for The Master
Joaquin Phoenix played a war veteran trying to acclimate to life after the war The Master. His character would always speak from the side of his mouth so Phoenix took measures to ensure his portrayal came across more realistic.
“I actually went to my dentist and I had them fasten these metal brackets to my teeth on the top and the bottom and then I wrapped rubber bands around it to force my jaw shut on one side,” he told Fresh Air’s Terry Gross in an interview. The film failed to earn back its budget.
Chris Hemsworth maintained a 500-calorie diet for In the Heart of the Sea
Fans were shocked by the normally-buff Hemsworth’s drastic weight loss while he filmed In the Heart of the Sea, a film about the sinking of a whaling ship in 1820. Hemsworth told talk show host Jimmy Kimmel that he and the other actors restricted themselves to a brutal diet of only 500-700 calories a day for the majority of the shoot.
He claims it was the hardest film he ever worked on and it took a toll on him emotionally, too. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t even crack $100 million at the box office.
Jamie Foxx got his teeth chiseled down for The Soloist
Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx starred in The Soloist, a movie about a homeless cello prodigy. To create a more realistic look, Foxx requested that his dentist chip his teeth to make them look more realistic of a homeless person. He didn’t want to come across as looking like a typical Hollywood actor. The movie wound up receiving mixed reviews and only made $38 million against its $60 million budget.
Demi Moore participated in real Navy Seal training for G.I. Jane
Even though G.I. Jane boasted a powerful performance from Demi Moore and featured heavyweight director Ridley Scott, it fell just short of its budget at the box office. While it wasn’t necessarily a “bomb” it was still considered a disappointment.
Moore put her heart and soul into preparing for the role. She participated in legitimate Navy SEAL training exercises and even threw up from exertion at more than one point in her exercise regimen.
Ruth Wilson learned how to castrate lambs for Dark River
Since Ruth Wilson’s character in Dark River was a young woman trying to return to her family’s farm after being gone for years, Wilson learned how to “castrate lambs” and other rather gruesome tasks normal to farmhands. She told Talk Radio all about her journey into Dark River and what it took for her to understand her character, Alice. While Dark River was a small film, to begin with, and it did receive great critical reviews, it failed to make much of a splash with audiences.
Nicolas Cage had teeth removed for Birdy
Jamie Foxx isn’t the only actor to ask a dentist to help him get into character. Rumor has it, Nicolas Cage had some teeth pulled out by a dentist (without anesthesia) to prepare for his role int he 1984 movie, Birdy. His character in the film gets seriously injured after he enlisted to fight in the Vietnam War. Supposedly, Cage wanted to understand something similar to what his character was going through for the movie.
Jared Leto tormented his co-stars for Suicide Squad
The exploits of Jared Leto on the set of Suicide Squad have been well-documented. While the movie did fine financially, it is considered a critical failure. Even audiences didn’t enjoy the film much and they’re generally much more forgiving, especially with superhero movies.
Still, despite the ludicrous antics and aesthetic of the DC film, Leto took it dangerously serious. He sent his castmates dead rats, condoms, and all manner of weird and disgusting things. He refused to stop being the Joker whether he was on-set or not.
Chloë Sevigny depicted a real sex act on film for The Brown Bunny
The Brown Bunny generated a major controversy when it debuted thanks to a real sex act depicted on-camera. When the film first premiered, Sevigny, defended the scene her co-star/director Victor Gallo. However, in recent years she seems less inclined to think fondly on that moment. She told The Hollywood Reporter that she wished it hadn’t been included. The film bombed at the box office and was panned by critics.
Next: 5 Comedic Actors Who Did Amazing Dramatic Roles (& 5 Dramatic Actors Who Did Amazing In Comedies)
