1. Tom Cruise - Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Tom Cruise is known for performing his own stunts, but in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, he performed a helicopter chase scene, which required extensive preparation. Due to his fear of flying, Cruise had to undergo special training to overcome his anxiety and execute the stunts safely. The production had to work around his need to master the technical aspects of flying before shooting the scene.
2. Harrison Ford - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
In the iconic scene where Indiana Jones is confronted by a massive rolling boulder, Harrison Ford was actually injured. Ford had suffered a back injury prior to filming, and the crew had to adjust the way the scene was shot to minimize risk. The scene was still shot with a high level of intensity, but Ford’s pain meant that the action had to be carefully coordinated to ensure he was safe.
3. Nicole Kidman - The Others (2001)
Nicole Kidman, while filming The Others, had an experience that required some unusual conditions. During one scene in a cold, dark mansion, Kidman had to perform a scene involving emotional distress while being cold and tired. To help her stay in character, the crew would adjust lighting and temperature in certain ways to help her react authentically, especially as the intense scene required her to look as though she was fighting off chills.
4. Robert Pattinson - The Lighthouse (2019)
Robert Pattinson, who starred alongside Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse, had to endure some very challenging conditions to get into character. The film's director, Robert Eggers, wanted to capture the extreme isolation and madness of life at sea. Pattinson was required to work in cramped, uncomfortable spaces for long hours and endure sleep deprivation to enhance the psychological strain his character felt. It led to the actor suffering from exhaustion, and he later described it as an intense experience.
5. Alycia Debnam-Carey - Fear the Walking Dead (2015)
Alycia Debnam-Carey, who starred in Fear the Walking Dead, had to work under extreme conditions during a scene involving heavy rain and flooded settings. The crew had to create artificial rain, and since it involved underwater scenes and potential hypothermia, special precautions and medical monitoring were taken to ensure her safety during prolonged exposure to cold water.
6. Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Meryl Streep famously had to wear extremely uncomfortable shoes while filming The Devil Wears Prada to portray Miranda Priestly, the demanding fashion editor. Some of her high heels were so tight that she had to be given special custom inserts to avoid injuring her feet, which became especially challenging given the long hours of filming and walking.