Actor: Christian Bale

Christian Bale began at thirteen in Empire of the Sun, carrying a Spielberg film almost alone, and has spent the career since altering his body dramatically for parts.

The Machinist took him to about a hundred and twenty pounds, and he gained substantially for Batman Begins six months later, which doctors have described as extremely unwise.

He won Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter, playing Dicky Eklund, a crack addict and former boxer, and it is the least vain performance in a career full of them.

American Psycho and The Big Short show the range, and the leaked on-set recording from Terminator Salvation followed him for years.