10 Sacrifices Actors Made for a Coveted Role (11 photos)

The colors of the Hollywood red carpet pale in comparison to what sometimes lurks behind the scenes. For the sake of instant authenticity, actors have starved themselves, munched on things no sane person would eat, and risked everything—careers, health, and even lives.





These shocking stories prove that actors and actresses are willing to risk a lot for a role.

1. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany's Sticky Kiss



This story is more ridiculous than dangerous. One cold day on the set of "WandaVision," Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany shared an emotional kiss that instantly turned into a complete fiasco. One of them developed a runny nose, and both ended up covered in snot.

Bettany jokingly blamed Olsen, but she retorted, "It was entirely Paul's fault! He couldn't feel a thing because of the makeup." Just imagine a snotty, yet incredibly tender, kiss. Sounds disgusting, doesn't it?

2. Will Ferrell's Sugar Rush





Buddy the Elf loved spaghetti with syrup, but Will Ferrell bitterly regretted having to eat the real thing. "I barely slept while filming Elf," he admitted, describing the sugar overload.

He had to choke down candy bars, chocolate bars, and candy. Endless sugar marathons resulted in throbbing headaches and nervous tremors for the actor. Can you imagine what it's like to go through that every day?

3. Sophie Turner's Hair Washing Ban



Sophie Turner admitted that while filming Game of Thrones, the directors asked her not to wash her hair to achieve Sansa Stark's authentically disheveled look. This ban lasted for almost two years.

Turner complained:

It was disgusting. By the final season, they started putting me in a wig because my own hair had become too greasy.

The fake snow only made things worse, clumping together in a greasy mass.

4. Kate Winslet and her little tank trick



During the filming of Titanic, Kate Winslet resorted to a radical solution to avoid long breaks due to her heavy costume. She admitted to defecating right in the tank. Is this a real dare or pure madness? You decide.

"Yes, I did it in the tank. You have to do what you have to do," the actress confided.

For her, the work process was more important than personal dignity.

5. Odor-inducing Feasts at Hogwarts



At first glance, the feasts at Hogwarts looked magical. Roast turkeys, puddings, and pies—the dream of any hungry actor. But these magnificent dishes sat for days under the hot spotlights, and no one changed them.

Daniel Radcliffe and other actors recalled a nauseating odor wafting through the set even before they set foot on the soundstage. What began as a treat quickly turned into a disgusting sight, filling the Great Hall with a suffocating stench.

6. The Terrible Smell on the Set of "Game of Thrones"



To give Castle Black an authentic grimy and gritty feel, the crew spared no effort. They hung raw meat from the ceiling and allowed real pigs to roam freely around the set.

The atmosphere was visually perfect, but unbearable for the stomach. The actors had to deliver serious lines while inhaling the heavy odor. Imagine maintaining a stoic demeanor while the unpleasant aroma of rotting meat assaults your nostrils? Not exactly a glamorous job in a fantasy world.

7. Rooney Mara's Secret Piercing



Rooney Mara's transformation into Lisbeth Salander for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo wasn't just about acting. She cut her hair short and dyed it jet-black, bleached her eyebrows, and got a piercing in her private part.

"I didn't want to get fake piercings. I thought they would look fake on screen," the actress explained her choice. Her desire for authenticity turned cosmetic changes into shocking permanent body modifications.

8. Ryan Gosling's Fatal Weight Gain



Ryan Gosling was convinced his character George Harvey in The Lovely Bones should be heavier, so he secretly gained about 60 pounds by eating melted ice cream every day. The problem was, he didn't tell director Peter Jackson about it.

When Gosling showed up on set, Jackson was shocked and furious. "I genuinely believed he should weigh 205 pounds, but Peter had a different vision," the actor recalled. He was immediately replaced by Stanley Tucci.

9. Robert De Niro's Taxi Driver Shifts



Desiring to achieve the utmost authenticity for his role in Taxi Driver, Robert De Niro didn't pretend. He obtained a real New York City taxi driver's license and drove real passengers during filming. Who were these lucky passengers?

De Niro worked 12-hour shifts, sometimes returning to his route after filming, completely immersing himself in the world of Travis Bickle.

"I wanted to feel that state," he explained. "The dirt, the exhaustion—it was all real."

10. Natalie Portman's Cruel Diet



Natalie Portman lost 20 pounds for her role in Black Swan, consuming only 1,200 calories a day.

"I smoked a lot," she said in an interview. "It was terrible."

The strict diet left her frail, causing dizziness and exhaustion, mirroring the fragility of her character, Nina Sayers. The actress stated that she doesn't advise anyone to experiment with themselves in this way, as it is very dangerous.