Poll: There's Method in the Madness

Results of 1,561 votes:

1. 1.
   

   Daniel Day-Lewis

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Refused to leave his wheelchair and had crew members carry him around the set. He also insisted that all of his meals would be spoon-fed to him for My Left Foot Trained for…
2. 2.
   

   Marlon Brando

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Confined himself to a hospital bed for a month to get into his paraplegic character's psyche for The Men
3. 3.
   

   Christian Bale

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Lost 60 pounds to portray a haunted insomniac by consuming just an apple a day and coffee for The Mechanic Immediately gained over 60 pounds for Batman Begins Spent hours…
4. 4.
   

   Heath Ledger

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Holed himself up in hotel rooms for weeks at a time, where he stayed in character and kept a diary as the Joker for The Dark Knight
5. 5.
   

   Robert De Niro

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Gained 60 pounds to play the older Jake LaMotta after having gone through intense physical training in order gain the muscle mass to play the younger LaMotta for Raging Bul…
6. 6.
   

   Jared Leto

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Starved his way to a gaunt 114 pounds. Also he waxed his body and brows, and went grocery shopping as a woman for Dallas Buyers Club Stayed in character throughout the sho…
7. 7.
   

   Al Pacino

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Was so into character that he attempted to arrest a truck driver whilst playing an undercover cop for Serpico Took cold showers in order to express a demented state for Dog…
8. 8.
   

   Hilary Swank

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Lived life as a man for at least a month, including wrapping her chest in tension bandages and putting socks down the front of her pants much the same way that Brandon Teena…
9. 9.
   

   Adrien Brody

    

   Notable Method Techniques: Practiced the piano for four hours a day until he could play Chopin flawlessly. Also got rid of all his possessions (including his girlfriend) for The Pianist Asked to be …
10. 10.
    

    Rooney Mara

     

    Notable Method Techniques: Endured at least 12 piercings (including her nipple) in one day to fully immerse herself in the role for The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo
11. 11.
    

    Choi Min-sik

     

    Notable Method Techniques: Burned his own flesh and ate live octopus (repenting afterwards as it was against his religion) for Oldboy
12. 12.
    

    Shia LaBeouf

     

    Notable Method Techniques: Slashed his own face for Fury because he wasn't satisfied with the make-up, had his tooth pulled out, and didn't bath for the entire shoot for Fury
13. 13.
    

    Eddie Redmayne

     

    Notable Method Techniques: Spend hours a day in a wheelchair with his body contorted, something that caused physical pain and sometimes affected his breathing for The Theory of Everything
14. 14.
    

    Dustin Hoffman

     

    Notable Method Techniques: His constant running to portray sleep-deprived character prompted co-star Laurence Olivier to famously ask "Why don't you just try acting?" for Marathon Man