These Actors Went Through A Grueling and Terrifying Process to Get Into Character

Adrian Brody, The Pianist

Adrian Brody’s portrayal of Holocaust survivor and pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Brody went through a huge physical and emotional transformation for the role. Szpilman was a starving pianist in the movie’s timeline so Brody went on an extreme crash diet to look the part.

Source: Endeared

And that’s not all. Brody sold his car and apartment, disconnected all forms of communication, and moved to Europe where he lived in isolation to prepare for the role. Brody ended up suffering from depression after production was over. For him, the emotional effect of starvation was harder than the isolation part of the journey.