26 Actors Who Stay in Character Off Camera
This is a list of actors who stay in character off camera, loosely ranked by fame and popularity. Several famous actors and actresses use the technique of method acting to completely immerse themselves into a role. One actor stayed in character to the point that he took up his character's profession in his off hours and another actor only ate fruit in preparation for a role.
Who is the most famous actor who stays in character off camera? Angelina Jolie tops our list. Jolie got so into method acting for her film Gia that she told her then-husband Jonny Lee Miller that she would not speak to him during filming. "I'm alone; I'm dying; I'm gay; I'm not going to see you for weeks," she said.
Robert De Niro spent weeks driving a cab around New York City to prepare for his role in Taxi Driver. He also gained excessive weight and lived with his co-star Joe Pesci for his role in Raging Bull. Other actors known for staying in character off camera include Daniel Day Lewis, Kate Winslet, and Jim Carrey.
Do you think that these actors take their roles too seriously? Share your thoughts in the comments section.- Requiem for a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club, Mr. Nobody
- Age: 51
- Birthplace: Bossier City, Louisiana, USA
Jared Leto would arrive on the set of The Dallas Buyers Club already dressed in drag for his role as Rayon. - Kramer vs. Kramer, Tootsie, Rain Man
- Age: 85
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, USA, California
Dustin Hoffman is rumored to be tough to work with because he is always in character on the set. He even went as far as to deprive himself of sleep to get into the head of his character in Marathon Man. - Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Revolutionary Road
- Age: 47
- Birthplace: Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
Kate Winslet reportedly dove in to her role in The Reader to the point that she had trouble getting back to normal life. She said of the experience: "It's like I've escaped from a serious car accident and need to understand what has just happened." - There Will Be Blood, Lincoln, Gangs of New York
- Age: 66
- Birthplace: England, London
Daniel Day Lewis is probably the actor best known for staying in character off camera. Reportedly, he would send text messages as "Commander in Chief" and talk on the phone as Abraham Lincoln when he was filming Lincoln. - Community, The Martian, Mystery Team
- Age: 39
- Birthplace: Edwards Air Force Base, California
In the Atlanta episode "Teddy Perkins," Donald Glover took on the titular role. Glover insisted on acting in character day and night on set, even having cast and crew members call him Teddy.
- Maleficent, Changeling, Mr. & Mrs. Smith
- Age: 48
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Angelina Jolie got so into method acting for her film Gia that she told her then-husband, Johnny Lee Miller, that she would not speak to him during filming. "I'm alone; I'm dying; I'm gay; I'm not going to see you for weeks," she said.
