Adrien Brody in The Pianist
Adrien Brody took method acting to the next level. In order to get in character for his role in the historical drama, he decided he had to lose everything to be able to illustrate a man who’s lost everything.
He broke up with his girlfriend, sold his car, house and all material possessions, and left for Europe, where he lived in seclusion for several months, during which he lost 12 pounds. You can say his hard work paid off, though, as the role earned him the Academy Awards for Best Actor.