Tyler Jones as Random Party Stoner in Dazed and Confused (1993)
Director Richard Linklater only needed a couple shots of Tyler Jones passing a joint around, but the actor insisted that he “do all the hard stuff,” from ecstasy to poppers and even methamphetamine. Jones partook in every single drug known to man in order to capture the essence of the random party-surfing teen. Linklater later reported to Hollywood Times that “Tyler showed up to the set high as a kite, incoherent, and ended all of his scenes strung out on the floor of the party set bathroom.” Jones has not kicked his crack addiction since the release.
John Reynolds as Pilot #2 in Air Force One (1997)
Reynolds revealed on a segment of Entertainment Tonight that he “took an accelerated course to obtain a pilot’s license within a week of being cast, and even spent a few months flying for International Airlines.” While shooting, Reynolds actually believed he was still flying for International and attempted to take off in a model plane. The incident left him in a coma for six months. Upon his awakening, Reynolds went back to work for Midway International Airlines and remains a dedicated career pilot to this day.
Kristen Gale as the volcano in Pompeii (2015)
To fully embody what she refers to as “the loneliness of the natural disaster,” Gale went into complete isolation, following a strict diet regimen to gain over 500 pounds, locking herself in a tiny studio apartment for several months and cutting off all contact with friends and family. On set, Gale responded exclusively to the names “Pompeii,” “Pomp,” or “Big P.” Following the film’s major bombing at the box office, Gale fled the country and now lives within a community of monks in the hills of Pompeii, Italy.
Bobbie McGiddle as Mary the Baby in Three Men and a Baby (1987)
Often noted as the most extreme method-acting venture in the last century, Bobbie McGiddle spent nine months as a fetus in preparation for the role. Throughout the film, McGiddle cannot seem to hold it together for a single scene without crying or pooping her diaper. The actor never broke character on set and even required a film-sitter to nurse her and sing her to sleep. Twenty-six years after the film’s release, McGiddle re-entered Hollywood as a somewhat normal adult woman again. She still experiences intense flashbacks, though she is now fully potty trained.
Dylan Ray Lewis as the Dead Guy in the Morgue in Men in Black (1999)
Dead Guy in the Morgue is one of those performances that is very hard to watch more than once. Lewis was contracted for a brief appearance in the smash sci-fi hit and went fatally deep into his acting practices. The body you see for a split-second in the morgue is actually the lifeless corpse of the late method-acting genius. Lewis spent most of his time on set in rigor mortis, and according to cast member Will Smith, “The dude smelled really freakin’ awful.” Today, Lewis resides in Oak Park Cemetery (RIP).