Quite a few actors take a method approach to their craft in order to fully immerse themselves in a role. It's certainly paid off for some (Daniel Day Lewis has three Oscars), but just as many feel it's an unnecessary, pretentious practice - especially when taken to extreme levels.
One actor who won't be "going method" anytime soon is Doctor Strange and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore star Mads Mikkelsen.
The Hannibal alum was asked how he approaches his roles during an interview with GQ, and although he does prepare for each part meticulously, he made his feelings on method acting very clear: "It's bullshit."
“But preparation, you can take into insanity,” he added. “What if it’s a shit film – what do you think you achieved? Am I impressed that you didn’t drop character? You should have dropped it from the beginning! How do you prepare for a serial killer? You gonna spend two years checking it out?”
The method debate recently resurfaced after reports that Jared Leto refused to walk without his character's crutches while filming Morbius (a perfect example of what Mikkelsen is talking about!), and the actor is also said to have remained in Joker-mode during Suicide Squad's production, going so far as to send his cast-mates bizarre, somewhat inappropriate gifts.
At the end of the day, actors are going do whatever they feel they need to in order to achieve the best results, but whenever the method discussion comes up, we can't help but recall the now legendary Marathon Man exchange.
The story goes that Dustin Hoffman was about to film a scene in which his character hadn't slept in three days, and told costar Laurence Olivier that he'd stayed awake for 72 hours to prepare. “My dear boy,” came the reply, “why don't you try acting?”
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.