Method acting is a technique used by actors as a way to prepare for their roles and it involved immersing themselves into their characters. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who recently announced his retirement from acting, is famous for his method acting. He has absorbed himself in each and every role he has played, earning him some of the most memorable roles in film history.
But Day-Lewis is not the only one who has taken method acting to a whole new level. We want to put the spotlight on those actors who decided to give the all-encompassing technique a try. For many, it resulted in winning Academy Awards.
Most of these actors have been rewarded for both their passion as well as their struggle. Some lost weight, some gained, and some injured themselves – all in the name of the craft. And some perhaps even went too far. But you can be the judge of that.
Daniel Day-Lewis: A Legend
There’s a reason Daniel Day-Lewis is considered a legend and envied by many actors. He gave 120% to all his film roles. But the one that stands out above the rest in terms of method acting is the role he played in My Left Foot from 1989. It’s the role that won him the first of his three Best Actor Academy Awards.
Photo by by Lars Niki/Getty Images for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Day-Lewis played the Irish writer and painter Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy. The only way Brown could exhibit control of his body was with his left foot. He spent most of the production in a wheelchair.