13 Actors Who Were Really Going Through It While Filming Iconic Roles

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13 Actors Who Were Really Going Through It While Filming Iconic Roles

Bless their little-engine-that-could hearts, they chugged their battered, bruised, and sickly bodies up that hill to deliver stellar performances. Normally, you would think, “Ugh, acting is so cushy. Try a real job like construction or Alaskan crab fishing.” But these actors pushed through some life-threatening obstacles, and some of them didn’t make it. A heartfelt R.I.P to those who did what they loved till the bitter end. That kind of passion for the craft is commendable. We just hope that 60 years from now, we’ll keel over at the keyboard (or some futurist writing tool) while banging out one of these lists.

That’s the dream anyway, and the folks who really endured while pumping out world-class work have inspired us. Whether they got to the finish line, or sadly had to be replaced, or almost made it, so their faces were digitally imposed on a body double, these actors were really going through some shit while filming these 13 now-iconic roles.

Yes, Chris Farley was the original voice of Shrek.

GRACKED CHRIS FARLEY IN SHREK At the time of Farley's death in 1997, he had recorded nearly all of his dialogue. Не gave this one last hilarious performance while suffering the deepest depression he'd ever faced - succumbing to an overdose of cocaine and morphine.

Yahoo / Slash Film 

From waterboarding to green make-up, the CIA can train you to endure it all.

GRACKED JIM CARREY IN HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS Не felt buried alive for the daily 8.5 hour make-up and prosthetics applications, so producers brought in CIA experts who train spies to endure torture.

Spyscape / Vanity Fair 

Daniel… You can stay in character in a warmer coat!

GRACKED DANIEL DAY LEWIS IN GANGS OF NEW YORK Не caught pneumonia after refusing to wear a coat between scenes (since those coats didn't exist in the 1860s). Не said, I will admit that I went mad, totally mad, and the role was not so good for my physical or mental health.

BBC / Twitter 

Pumping out the funny till the bitter end. R.I.P Norm.

GRACKED NORM MACDONALD IN NOTHING SPECIAL Like Chadwick Boseman, Norm's terminal cancer diagnosis was only revealed after he passed. Не filmed his final special in his home just months before he died, and impressively did the entire hour in one take.

Netflix 

So you wanna get “method,” do ya?

GRACKED ASHTON KUTCHER IN JOBS THINK The - - - - - - - - Steve Jobs was a known fruitarian, living on a mainly fruit diet. Ashton tried to replicate this, and wife Mila Kunis said, He was so dumb. He...only ate grapes at one point...we ended up in the hospital twice. With pancreatitis! It was really dumb!

Buzzfeed

A generational talent kept working through despair.

CRACKED PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN IN THE HUNGER GAMES Не was in his darkest hour, but still nearly completed his work on Mockingjay - Part 2, before succumbing to a deadly mix of heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and sedatives. They digitally imposed existing footage to complete his role in the trilogy.

The Guardian

A ton of acting work with a little cancer treatment on the side.

GRACKED ROBERT DE NIRO IN MEET THE FOCKERS His prostate cancer was discovered within months of shooting the sequel, and he completed filming while undergoing treatments. After completing treatment, he went right into filming Hide and Seek.

Express / IMDB 

Ow, it burns. For years!

GRACKED JOHN RHYS-DAVIES IN THE LORD OF THE RINGS The prosthetics for Gimli caused an allergic reaction that burned his skin. Не powered through 3 epics, but turned down the offer to return for The Hobbit series, saying, Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more.

Looper

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