20 famous actors who underwent shocking transformations for a role

Christian Bale is famous for his extreme method acting, and it's evident in The Machinist, where he lost 63 pounds to play an insomniac. He then had to bulk up by over 100 pounds a few months later to become Batman.

To transform into serial killer Aileen Wuornos for Monster, Charlize Theron gained 30 pounds and wore prosthetic teeth. The Oscar she won for the role proves her dedication was more than worth it. However, in a recent interview, the iconic actress said she'd never accept a role that requires body transformations again. 

Rapper 50 Cent lost more than 50 pounds in just nine weeks to play a character with cancer in All Things Fall Apart. His transformation was so shocking that many fans didn't recognize him at first. 

Matthew McConaughey shed a drastic 38 pounds to play a sick patient in Dallas Buyers Club. His dedication to the role was so intense that he started the weight loss before the film was even greenlit.

Everyone knows Chris Pratt as the lovable goofball from Parks and Recreation, but he turned into a real-life superhero to star in Guardians of the Galaxy. He lost 60 pounds in six months to become the shredded Star-Lord. 

Jake Gyllenhaal lost a ton of weight for Nightcrawler before turning around and gaining 15 pounds of pure muscle for his boxer role in Southpaw. He trained for a full five months, twice a day, to master the part.

To play a ballet dancer in Black Swan, Natalie Portman reportedly lost 20 pounds by following a strict diet and training for 16 hours a day. She worked so hard that she dislocated a rib during filming.

You wouldn't think the guy who plays Thor could get super skinny, but Chris Hemsworth dropped 33 pounds for his role in In the Heart of the Sea. To look like a starving sailor, he ate as few as 500 calories a day. Now that's dedication. 

Joaquin Phoenix is no stranger to intense roles, but his transformation for Joker was wild. He lost 52 pounds on a diet of mostly steamed vegetables and lettuce, which definitely helped him get into the character's mindset.

Adam Driver lost a shocking 50 pounds to play a Jesuit priest in Martin Scorsese's Silence. He said the extreme weight loss was crucial to understanding the physical hardships of his character.

Rooney Mara's transformation for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo went beyond weight loss and involved some serious physical commitment. She got her eyebrows bleached and parts of her body pierced to become the authentic Lisbeth Salander.

Jared Leto gained a huge 67 pounds in just a few months to play Mark David Chapman, the man who assassinated John Lennon, in the movie Chapter 27. He's since sworn off extreme weight gain for roles due to the serious health issues it caused.

Also known for method acting, Daniel Day-Lewis went to extreme lengths to play a wrongly imprisoned man in the film In the Name of the Father. He reportedly lost over 50 pounds on a prison ration diet and chose to stay in character at all times.

To prepare for his role as a stuntman and bank robber in The Place Beyond the Pines, Ryan Gosling had to get tatted up and bulk up for the role. He also spent months learning how to ride a motorcycle.

Alongside her co-star, Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis also lost 20 pounds for her role in Black Swan, getting down to just 95 pounds. She later said the experience was miserable and she'd never do it again.

Anne Hathaway lost 25 pounds for her Oscar-winning role as Fantine in Les Misérables. She ate just two small squares of dried oatmeal paste a day to look "near death."

For his role in The Informant!, Matt Damon did the opposite of most actors and gained 30 pounds by consuming McDonald's and dark beer. He said it was "absolute heaven" to eat like that for the role.

Believe it or not, Beyoncé reportedly shed 20 pounds for her role as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls by following a strict diet called "The Master Cleanse." 

Tom Hanks literally shut down the production of Cast Away for a year so he could lose 50 pounds and grow out his hair and beard. This allowed him to portray a man stranded on a deserted island in an authentic manner.

Tilda Swinton's transformations are often so complete that you don't even recognize her, and her role as an old man in Suspiria is a perfect example. She wore heavy facial prosthetics to disappear into the character.