LIVING THEIR ROLES...

ROBERT DE NIRO RAGING BULL

To prepare for his role as boxer Jake La Motta, Robert De Niro fought in three real Brooklyn bouts... and won two.

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS LAST OF THE MOHICANS

Lived in the woods, learning how to hunt and skin animals and build a canoe for the 1992 film.

CHRISTIAN BALE THE MACHINIST

Dropped over four stone in weight to eight and a half stone to give credence to his role in the 2004 psychological thriller.

...BUT NOT EVERY ACTING LEGEND IS IN AGREEMENT

Of the ‘method’ technique of Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man, Laurence Olivier, left, asked: ‘Why don’t you just try acting?’