Some actors train for years, but others get discovered by accident—like Charlize Theron, who was spotted in a bank while arguing with a teller. Daniel Day-Lewis is so committed to his roles, he learned to build canoes and hunted his own food for “The Last of the Mohicans.” In Japan, there's a whole category of actors called "voice idols" who perform only using their voices for anime and video games.

Actors in silent films had to exaggerate their expressions because there was no sound—overacting was actually required. The actor who played Chewbacca, Peter Mayhew, stood 7 feet 3 inches tall in real life! Many child actors are legally limited in how many hours they can work on set and must have a tutor with them at all times.

Tom Hanks was actually not the first choice for Forrest Gump—John Travolta turned it down. Method actors sometimes stay in character for months, even off set, which can make dinner with them very awkward. In the 1920s, actors had to do their own stunts, often risking serious injury with no safety nets.

Some actors are so convincing in villain roles that people have yelled at them on the street. To prepare for her role in “Black Swan,” Natalie Portman trained in ballet for over a year, losing 20 pounds. Before becoming an actor, Harrison Ford worked as a carpenter—he built cabinets for George Lucas.

Actors often wear wigs or fake teeth to change their look, especially in historical dramas. In Bollywood, actors may perform in over 5 movies a year, often dancing in high-energy musical numbers. Heath Ledger locked himself in a hotel room for weeks to develop his Joker character for “The Dark Knight.”

Some actors voice characters in animated films and never meet the rest of the cast. Meryl Streep has been nominated for an Oscar more times than any other actor in history. Old Western actors sometimes had to ride horses for hours in full costume under the desert sun.

Arnold Schwarzenegger had to train himself to act without his strong Austrian accent—though he kept it anyway. Actors playing superheroes usually spend months in the gym and eat strict diets to prepare. On stage, actors memorize hundreds of lines and can’t rely on retakes like in movies.

The actor who played R2-D2, Kenny Baker, actually fit inside the robot costume. Dwayne Johnson, aka “The Rock,” transitioned from wrestler to one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. Some actors take roles just for fun, like Bill Murray appearing in surprise cameos with no script.

In horror films, actors are often scared for real—the crew might not tell them when the “monster” will appear. Actors in ancient Greek plays wore huge masks to show emotions and project their voice. Keanu Reeves gave away millions of his earnings from “The Matrix” to the crew who made the film possible.

Actors often learn skills like horseback riding, sword fighting, or languages just for a single role. In medieval times, actors were considered so low in status they weren’t allowed to be buried in churchyards. Morgan Freeman didn’t become a famous actor until he was in his 50s—proof it's never too late.

Actors sometimes use “cold reading” to audition without ever seeing the script beforehand. The first actor to appear in a movie was a man named Fred Ott in 1894, sneezing into a camera. Some actors actually faint during intense scenes due to emotional or physical exhaustion.

To act convincingly in space scenes, actors often rehearse underwater to mimic zero gravity. Many actors develop deep friendships while working together on long productions. To play twins, actors sometimes act opposite a tennis ball on a stick—technology fills in the rest.

Actors who play animals in costume, like Gollum or King Kong, use motion capture suits and act out every movement. Some famous actors started out doing commercials—Leonardo DiCaprio did a bubble gum ad. The longest kiss in movie history lasted over 3 minutes and was performed by actors in “Elena Undone.”

Actors often fake eating on screen—spitting out bites between takes to avoid multiple full meals. Many actors keep props from their films—Daniel Radcliffe kept his glasses from “Harry Potter.” There are actors who specialize in dying on screen—they're trained to fall convincingly.

In sci-fi films, actors often speak made-up alien languages and memorize entire scripts in them. Acting for green screen requires strong imagination—actors are talking to creatures that aren’t there yet. Actors like Christian Bale have gained or lost over 50 pounds for a single role.

For scenes in cold weather, some actors wear tiny heat packs under their costumes. The Oscars once gave out awards for “juvenile actors” under 18, a category that no longer exists. Some actors perform their own stunts, like Jackie Chan, who even broke bones during filming.

Actors in musicals must sing, dance, and act—triple threats are especially valued on Broadway. The actor who voiced Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, never wore the costume. Sometimes actors spend hours in makeup chairs every day just to transform into their character.

To cry on cue, actors use techniques like recalling painful memories or using menthol under the eyes. Stage actors often have to project their voice so strongly that it takes vocal training to avoid strain. Some actors use real-life experience to inform their characters, like playing a parent after becoming one.

Actors in underwater scenes often wear contact lenses to help them see clearly. Extras, or background actors, are usually told not to speak so their voices don’t interfere with the stars. To get the part of Wolverine, Hugh Jackman had to audition with fake claws made from plastic spoons.

Sometimes actors have to film emotional goodbye scenes on the first day of shooting. When actors are “aged up” for a role, makeup teams can take 4–6 hours to complete the look. Actors who become household names often use their fame to launch businesses, write books, or support causes.