# What’s the most outrageous thing an actor has done for a role? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236 "2011-05-26T01:53:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/81 "2011-06-01T21:47:56Z")
I’m not sure porn actors/actresses doing porn in their role strictly meets the intent of the OP, because they up front see the job requirement and are signing up for that role. I also wouldn’t really count Vic Morrow and the kids dying in an accident. Sure, the safety precautions were violated and the situation was tragic, but they didn’t agree to die. The guy who mutilated himself on film might qualify except it sounds like something he would have done anyway. Mainstream actors/actresses having sex on film qualifies because it is not industry standard, and there is an expectation that the sex isn’t real. Also, casting couch episodes count because the sex act is not a part of the job, but a hiring criteria imposed that the actor may not desire for itself, but to get the role. I’d like to hear more about this Nick Cage extracting his own teeth thing. The details of what he did and why are fuzzy in this thread. So far, the guys who lost extreme amounts of weight to the psycho unhealthy level seem to be winning, though putting on extreme weight is also noteworthy. [QUOTE=hajario] Persis Khambatta beat Demi by over ten years in the first Star Trek movie. [/QUOTE] Ah, how fleeting fame, how fickle pop culture. I bet anyone under 30 is thinking “What’s so special about Demi Moore shaving her head?” whereas for Natalie Portman it’s “Holy crap, _she_ would do that?” Persis Khambatta is a “So?” Kinda like that guy in STIII with the big dangly earlobes with the holes in them. Nowadays you can see that at your corner coffee shop, but at the time that was incredibly impressive to me. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/82 "2011-06-01T23:33:20Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > That’s all well and good, but so what? The OP was asking about “outrageous”, not “good”. Most of the things cited here don’t even come near what you can see in pretty much any porn movie. My post was a response to the statement that implied that a “porn star” could never be an “actor”. This is an example of a person who was a porn star and is now a very highly acclaimed actor. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/83 "2011-06-01T23:56:27Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Not as bad as some of the things here but for the movie Spawn John Linquenzamo (horrible last name spelling…) ate a slice of pizza with live maggots on it. Jonathan Frakes did eat grubs in the TNG episode [Conspiracy](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Conspiracy_(episode)#Characters). The take did not make it to air, though. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/84 "2011-06-02T00:58:45Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > My post was a response to the statement that implied that a “porn star” could never be an “actor”. This is an example of a person who was a porn star and is now a very highly acclaimed actor. I didn’t suggest that porn stars weren’t actors. I think the OP did with the language and examples in the very first post. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/85 "2011-06-02T01:25:35Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I didn’t suggest that porn stars weren’t actors. I think the OP did with the language and examples in the very first post. Ah, OK. Re-reading it, the implication seems to be that any actor who actually has sex on film is now a porn star, or a “slut”, and is no longer worthy of serious consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/86 "2011-06-02T22:15:22Z")
No, **Small Hen** did _not_ declare that “any actor who actually has sex on film is now a porn star,” in fact she explicitly stated Chloe Sevigny as an example that fits the template. I think some of us are making a distinction between a film that’s purpose is to show sex, and frames it with a scene about a pizza delivery guy getting met by a hot chick in a robe, is distinct from a film that’s purpose is to tell a story or make an artistic statement or whatever, and happens to include a sex scene to further that story. Especially when mainstream sex scenes don’t usually show actual sex. YMMV. **Little Nemo** listed a string of actresses he said were “mainstream” that did sex on camera. **Eyebrows of Doom** was pointing out that “mainstream” appears to be a shaky description in several of those examples. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/87 "2011-06-02T22:43:11Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > No, **Small Hen** did _not_ declare that “any actor who actually has sex on film is now a porn star,” in fact she explicitly stated Chloe Sevigny as an example that fits the template. > > I think some of us are making a distinction between a film that’s purpose is to show sex, and frames it with a scene about a pizza delivery guy getting met by a hot chick in a robe, is distinct from a film that’s purpose is to tell a story or make an artistic statement or whatever, and happens to include a sex scene to further that story. Especially when mainstream sex scenes don’t usually show actual sex. YMMV. > > **Little Nemo** listed a string of actresses he said were “mainstream” that did sex on camera. **Eyebrows of Doom** was pointing out that “mainstream” appears to be a shaky description in several of those examples. I may have been unclear but my first post was intended to say that Chloe Sevigny should NOT fit the profile, because what she did is absolutely routine for porn actors. There was nothing outrageous about it. And if she DOES fit the profile, then I think **Small Hen** is not putting porn actors in the pool of “actors” at all. Because there’d be hundreds or thousands of them higher on the list than her. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/88 "2011-06-03T01:33:49Z")
What I posted was a list of actresses who had sex in a mainstream movie. And by mainstream, I meant non-pornographic. The specific movies were: _All About Anna_ (2005) _Baise-moi_ (2000) _Il Diavolo in Corpo_ (1986) _Intimacy_ (2001) _9 Songs_ (2004) _Romance_ (1999) _Shortbus_ (2006) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/89 "2011-06-03T01:52:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What I posted was a list of actresses who had sex in a mainstream movie. And by mainstream, I meant non-pornographic. That’s a pretty broad definition. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/90 "2011-06-03T02:07:18Z")
Again, my example of Sibel Kekilli is someone who _undeniably_ starred in hard-core pornographic films has had a highly decorated career in non-sexual roles. Sibel Kekilli did sexually explicit films under a different name. After that career, she stared in a film and got great acclaim. After that, somebody noticed that she was “Dilara”. What has proven virtually impossible is for a “porn” actor to move into non-porn roles. The problem is not one of acting talent, but of hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/91 "2011-06-03T03:51:10Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > That’s a pretty broad definition. How would you define a mainstream movie? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/92 "2011-06-03T04:26:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What I posted was a list of actresses who had sex in a mainstream movie. And by mainstream, I meant non-pornographic. > > The specific movies were: > > _All About Anna_ (2005) > _Baise-moi_ (2000) > _Il Diavolo in Corpo_ (1986) > _Intimacy_ (2001) > _9 Songs_ (2004) > _Romance_ (1999) > _Shortbus_ (2006) There’s also Wei Tang in Ang Lee’s [Lust, Caution](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808357/) (2007). ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/93 "2011-06-03T04:55:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > How would you define a mainstream movie? Um, any movie without closeups of gay male anal penetration? The ones with those shots are “art films”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/94 "2013-01-20T17:31:11Z")
I’m bumping this old thread to mention that Rob McElhenney, who plays Mac on _It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia_, gained 50 pounds because he thought it would be [funny](http://if-fit.com/macs-weight-gain-and-loss-from-always-sunny/) for the show. More recently, he lost it all again. ---
**Author:** ![Noodles\_Fellicini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Noodles\_Fellicini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noodles_Fellicini)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/95 "2013-01-22T23:44:51Z")
Hark the raven ---
**Author:** ![Noodles\_Fellicini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Noodles\_Fellicini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noodles_Fellicini)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/96 "2013-01-22T23:53:07Z")
Whoa, debating whether a zombification comment was a good idea, then deciding that it would be better to let it go, then debating a good way to say “Nevermind” and \ outtatime. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/97 "2013-01-23T00:09:03Z")
I can’t be the first to mention DeNiro for putting on a dangerous amount of weight in Raging Bull? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/98 "2013-01-23T00:20:04Z")
Oh, cool, we resurrected that thread where I’m accused of slut shaming. Kinda hoped this one would stay dead. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/99 "2013-01-23T01:00:24Z")
To add to this, Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot spent so long in his wheelchair as part of his method acting technique that he broke two of his ribs. ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236/100 "2013-01-24T11:55:42Z")
That’s a pretty poorly-designed wheelchair. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-most-outrageous-thing-an-actor-has-done-for-a-role/583236.md?page=6)