Actors Who Never Recovered From Their Most Distressing Roles

In the world of acting, it's easy to take things a step too far. The emotional and physical investment actors dedicate to their roles can often leave them feeling broken inside. These stars dove into their roles without realizing the toll it would take on them later. Sometimes, you have to wonder—just how far would you push yourself to achieve a flawless performance?

Shelley Duvall in The Shining

The Shining is widely regarded as one of the best films of its genre, but Shelley Duvall's experience on set was a total nightmare. Kubrick, whose sole mission was seemingly to fracture Duvall's psyche, spent the duration of their time together ruthlessly berating her. Kubrick tormented Duvall, telling the cast and crew not to interact or sympathize with her and regularly criticizing her acting skills. The movie was shot in chronological order—meaning that Duvall's unraveling took place both on-screen and in real life.

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The More You Know

  • Disney turned down the chance to make Back to the Future claiming the mother/son relationship was too risqué.
  • The Hollywood sign once read ‘Hollywoodland’
  • While Titanic holds the record for consecutive weeks at the top spot (15), E.T. beats it by one in total weeks at Number One.
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger practiced with guns every day for a month to prepare for The Terminator.
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