Method acting is a popular technique for actors to get into character. Konstantin Stanislavski, a Russian theatre practitioner, formulated the Method in the early 1900s for his students. It made actors give a more realistic performance, which diverged away from the over-exaggerated characterisations of previous centuries. Here, we have listed some of our favourite performances, that have come out of the Method…

1. The Machinist- Christian Bale

Actors have gone to great lengths to make sure their body is in the perfect condition for their role. However, nobody has quite been as radical as Christian Bale in The Machinist. Bale lost a huge 62 pounds, sleeping for 2 hours, and reading for 10 hours everyday in preparation for his role. While for most of us this would be a torturous experience, Bale, apparently, had a rather positive one. It put him into a Zen-like state, where he could fully connect with the character.

2. My Left Foot- Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis is an icon for the Method. He’s learnt how to build a canoe, speak Czech and even dismember a pig for the parts he plays. My Left Foot was the first film where Day-Lewis developed his personal version of Method acting. From the minute he got the part, he started preparing, going to a clinic in Dublin to learn about Cerebral Palsy for 8 weeks, and learning to write and paint with his toes. When he was on the set, he used a wheelchair, and demanded to be spoon fed, just as Christy Brown (the protagonist in My Left Foot) would have done. His outstanding performance clinched him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1989.

3. The Pianist- Adrien Brody

As the youngest person to ever win an Academy Award, Adrien Brody truly demonstrates how the Method can be put into action. The Pianist, a movie about a Jewish musician during the Second World War, was where he presented his incredible talent. For the role, he left his girlfriend, and put himself on a strict diet, so he could lose 30 pounds. Despite having very little previous experience, Brody took up piano lessons and practiced for 4 hours straight each day. When it came to the time of filming, he was a pro at some of Chopin’s greatest compositions.

4. Fury- Shia LaBeouf

LaBeouf cut out the sugar-coated Disney acting he had learnt during his childhood. In this Second World War film, he pulled out his tooth and cut a scar across his face. Actors reported LaBeouf showing off his self-inflicted wounds, or cutting himself in front of them. It was an incredibly intense process. Perhaps the strangest thing about LaBeouf’s actions is the fact that in the movie, his character is the opposite of what you may initially think. He is the most peaceful man in the film, who takes a more philosophical approach to the dire situation the soldiers find themselves in.

5. The Dark Knight- Heath Ledger

Many people have come across the Method through hearing about Ledger’s infamous Joker portrayal. He spent many months in his apartment, with only 2 hours sleep each night, to get into the headspace of this psychotic role. The result was magnificent; Ledger gave a new lease of life to the Joker, one which took influences from Jack Nicholson, and who Joaquin Phoenix would later develop. Despite popular claim, there is little evidence to support that his suicide had any connection to the role.

6. On the Waterfront- Marlon Brando

Having been trained by one of the pioneers of the Method, Stella Adler, Brando was very familiar with this technique. While On the Waterfront is perhaps less well-known than some of his other films, like The Godfather or A Streetcar Named Desire, it was the film that got him the Academy Award for Best Actor. In it, Brando puts on a Brooklyn accent, to mimic the working class tenor of the docks, and effortlessly balances the aggressive side of his character with its sweeter, more innocent undertones. The scene where Brando puts on Edie’s (Eva Marie Saint’s) glove has been defined as one of the key moments of the movie, and of Brando’s acting career. The way he brushes off some of the mud and tenderly puts it on her hand, brings out the some of the charisma of his character, which other actors may not have otherwise considered. You can watch it below: