These actors are proving that difficult sacrifices can make or break a film.

Every <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/channing-tatum-movies-shes-the-man-magic-mike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">actor</a> or actress must prepare prior to playing their next <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/heath-ledger-best-movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">role</a>&mdash;whether it be simply memorizing lines or the more intense strategy of method acting. Sometimes, however, more permanent sacrifices to their physical appearance and way of life must be made. The likes of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/jared-leto-interview-finneas-billie-eilish-morbius" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jared Leto</a>, <a href="https://lofficielbaltics.com/en/lifestyle/mila-kunis-is-unrecognizable-in-new-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mila Kunis</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/Culture/after-isolation-in-australia-tom-hanks-is-back-in-the-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Hanks</a> have committed to their roles so fervently that they underwent <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/kate-winslet-titanic-weight-body-shaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drastic changes</a>. Oftentimes, this dedication leads to a beautiful, award-winning film. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/kristen-dunst-best-movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Major motion pictures</a> like <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/12-most-iconic-jared-leto-roles-movies-tv-joker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Buyers Club</a>, Black Swan, and Cast Away&nbsp;are testaments to that. In celebration of these devoted performers, check out this list of movies that required their actors to truly embody their respective roles.&nbsp;

G.I. Jane (1997)

In director Ridley Scott's movie, G.I. Jane, <a href="https://lofficielbaltics.com/en/lifestyle/demi-moore-releases-a-shocking-memoir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Demi Moore</a> was tasked to shave her head, while on screen, and gain some muscle weight. Moore took on the role of Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil, a woman who undergoes special operation training before heading to war.

Boys Don't Cry (1999)

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Cast Away (2000)

In order to prepare for the film Cast Away, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/tom-hanks-demi-lovato-justin-timberlake-joe-biden-presidential-inauguration-day-event-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Hanks</a> went on a strict year-long diet that caused him to drop over 50 pounds. Additionally, the actor grew a long beard so that he appeared as the shipwrecked FedEx employee he was hired to play. At this point in time, Hanks was no stranger to strenuous preparation for film roles, as he dropped 30 pounds to play an AIDS patient in the movie, Philadelphia. Due to his volatile weight gain and loss, Hanks developed type 2 diabetes.&nbsp;

Monster&nbsp;(2003)

When preparing for her role as a prostitute named Aileen Wuornos in the film Monster, <a href="https://lofficielbaltics.com/en/beauty/6-things-charlize-theron-does-to-have-luminous-skin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charlize Theron</a> gained 30 pounds and wore prosthetic teeth. These stark changes allowed her to achieve a more rugged appearance.

Chapter 27 (2007)

If anyone is able to shapeshift for the sake of a role, it is <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/jared-leto-fashion-film" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jared Leto</a>. For the film Chapter 27, Leto gained over 60 pounds by eating exclusively unhealthy snacks. One of the meals he religiously consumed was microwaved pints of ice cream mixed with soy sauce and olive oil. This unprecedented weight gain leads him to develop some serious medical issues.

Both <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/where-celebrities-went-to-college-meryl-streep-natalie-portman-oprah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Natalie Portman</a> and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/ballet-trend-on-pointe-tiny-pretty-things-netflix-dance-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mila Kunis</a> had to lose at least 20 pounds for their roles in The Black Swan, a film that details the oppressively dark underbelly of the ballet world. Natalie Portman went on to win the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Nina Sayers in the film.&nbsp;

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

In order to embody the character of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Rooney Mara received several facial piercings and shaved her head.&nbsp;

Les Mis&eacute;rables (2012)

In Les Mis&eacute;rables, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/anne-hathaway-locked-down-premiere-at-home-versace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anne Hathaway</a> plays a French seamstress turned prostitute named Fantine. In order to achieve her sickly appearance, Hathaway dropped 25 pounds. The actress went on to speak out about how this loss negatively affected her physical and mental health. However, she ultimately won the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/inside-2021-oscars-gift-bag-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oscar</a> for Best Supporting Actress.&nbsp;
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Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto won <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/2021-oscars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oscars</a> in 2014 for their stellar performances in Dallas Buyers Club; McConaughey for Best Actor and Leto for Best Supporting Actor. To realistically portray their HIV (and then <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/jean-paul-gaultier-safe-sex-forever-campaign-socks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AIDS</a>) affected characters, the two lost roughly 40 pounds each. Unsurprisingly, such weight loss changed everyday life for the actors. When speaking about the experience, Leto said, "It changes the way you walk, the way you sit, the way you think." Nonetheless, the actors were vocal about their pride in making a film so personal to those affected by the infamous disease.&nbsp;

American Hustle (2013)

The usually fit and lean <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/ni-ni-september-issue-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Bale</a> gained almost 50 pounds so that he could take on the role of Irving Rosenfeld, a con man-turned-FBI agent, in American Hustle. When reflecting on his weight gain Bale said, "I ate lots of doughnuts, a whole lot of cheeseburgers, and whatever I could get my hands on. I literally ate anything that came my way."&nbsp;

IMDb.

Not only did <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jodie-comer-joaquin-phoenix-ridley-scott-napoleon-bonaparte-film-kitbag" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joaquin Phoenix'</a>s physical transformation in the 2019 film affect his body, but it also affected his mind. Phoenix, who lost 52 pounds for the role as the Joker, <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a28878224/joaquin-phoenix-joker-transformation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> "You start to go mad when you lose that amount of weight in that amount of time." But his intense training seemed to pay off&mdash;he won multiple awards for the role, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe.&nbsp;

Lady Gaga transformed into Patrizia Reggiani, the socialite turned criminal, in the 2021 film. Instead of her usual bright blonde locks, the actress sported dark hair throughout the film. And according to Gaga's hair stylist, Frederic Aspiras, who also was in charge of her hair in the film, this hair transformation was not as simple as it might seem. Aspiras told <a href="https://www.byrdie.com/house-of-gucci-lady-gaga-hair-5212415" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Byrdie</a>,&nbsp;"Her character required 10 hero custom, full lace, hand-knotted,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-wear-a-lace-front-wig-without-damage-400202" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1">human hair wigs</a>, and one hair fall to add volume and shape. Over 50 original looks were created by the end of filming."

In the 2021 film, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/emma-stone-responds-andrew-garfield-spider-man-no-way-home-appearance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emma Stone</a> transformed into the infamous villain <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/cruella-movie-sequel-emma-stone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cruella</a> de Vil. Sporting intense makeup, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/emily-beecham-interview-actress-cruella-pursuit-of-love" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cruella's</a> typical black-and-white hairstyle, a bright red lip, and the most fashionable designs, Stone nailed the evil character's overall aesthetic and demeanor.&nbsp;

These Major On-Screen Transformations Might Shock You

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