10. Eli Roth – Inglourious Basterds

Starring in one of the best Tarantino films is far from an easy job. Eli knows the necessary things that had to be done for this film. Although he was fit for this film role, Roth’s physique was to get even better. He played Der Bärenjude , who is a World War II Boston Nazi assassin in this 2009 film. Quentin pushes the envelope with every film and Eli had to up his game even further.

9. Jason Statham – The Transporter

Statham’s most famous role is in The Transporter (2002). The British actor wasn’t quite a star until Hollywood directors wanted him to play the dangerous characters. The synopsis in this film was the starting point for Jason to quit modeling and focus on his acting career. Many of his fans will never say that Statham can be replaced in this film and he’s a reason it’s their favorite.

8. Robert De Niro – Raging Bull

The training hours De Niro put into the role was amazing. Besides the preparations with Joe Pesci, Robert was ready to fight in real boxing matches as well. In fact, he played three real matches in Brooklyn and won two of them against real boxers. Of course, he also spent time with retired professional boxer La Motta in the gym and boxed numerous rounds with him. De Niro took his role in this 1980 film seriously and won an Oscar for his amazing performance.

7. Jamie Foxx – Every Sunday

Jamie tried to prove he was a serious actor in every movie he made. Foxx showed tremendous acting commitment with his start in the film Any Sunday (1999) alongside Al Pacino. His role was a quarterback named Willie Beamen and he had to load 200 pounds and be perfectly fit. This is the first film in which the comedian was able to show his true acting skills and became a critically acclaimed actor after this role.

6. Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

It’s not uncommon for Mickie to achieve massive muscle gains while working out. In his acting career, Rourke always looked ready for any role. But he had to work a little harder for his amazing performance in The Wrestler (2008). In an interview, Mickie acknowledged his seven and a half months of intense training and weightlifting for the role. He had to eat a lot as he needed to gain 27 pounds of muscle. Let’s not forget that he was a boxer before he became a great actor and it paid off.

5. Ryan Reynolds – Blade: Trinity

Ryan wasn’t able to show any acting perfection in Blade 3 (2004), but he showed his perfect body shape. It should be borne in mind that he was already in decent shape before he started getting involved in this film. Also, he has great genetics and a personal trainer that forces him to train three hours a day and eat eight meals. It was an ongoing process of six months that helped him get to that body fat percentage.

4. Edward Norton – American History X

Having an excellent diet strategy was at the top of Edward’s list for achieving such a physique in the 1998 film. He trained three times a week. Norton had included weightlifting, sprinting sessions, and targeting multiple muscle groups to quickly reach his goals. Doing full body workouts is important to having an amazing body. So Edward wasn’t kidding as he focused on this role.

3. Christian Bale – Batman Begins

Here’s one actor who isn’t afraid to make drastic changes to his body. Bale is willing to make impossible changes to be the perfect candidate for any role he plays. In the movie Batman Begins (2005), Christian had to split up in a few months. His schedule consisted of a high-carb diet and three hours of training to gain many pounds of muscle. He added another £39 during the days of filming.

2. Will Smith – Ali

Will is one of those actors who shows a level of commitment and focus that no other person can match. His amazing role in the film Ali (2001) was appreciated by everyone. His focus on making his body perfect for the role was commendable. Smith worked restlessly at it by lifting weights 5 days a week and running 6 hours a day. He was able to lift 175 pounds to a 365 pound weight. Also, let’s not forget about his amazing acting performance that put him in the group of outstanding actors.

1. Gerard Butler – 300

Portraying King Leonidas of Sparta in this 2006 film seems like an easy task for Gerard. His motivation and commitment to his training and diet was excellent. Hiring a professional trainer was the first job in this process. The trainer wasn’t very nice to him and forced Butler into workout routines that beat his body senseless. It was the only way to achieve body mass. Butler undertook strength training, circuit training, weapons training and many hours of acting preparation.