Gary Oldman disappears into his roles so completely that audiences often forget who they are watching. While you might know him as Sirius Black or Commissioner Gordon, his career involves intense method acting and strange personal connections. For instance, he once had to hire a speech coach to relearn his own British voice. Furthermore, he smoked so many cigars for a role that he made himself physically sick. Prepare to unmask the Hollywood legend.
Gary Oldman
He actually forgot his natural British accent. Because he lived in America for so long, Gary Oldman lost his original way of speaking. Therefore, he hired a speech therapist to help him sound British again for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
His sister plays “Big Mo” in EastEnders. Many fans do not realize that the famous British soap star Laila Morse is actually his older sibling. Consequently, artistic talent runs deep in their family bloodline.
He suffered from severe nicotine poisoning on the set of Darkest Hour. To play Winston Churchill accurately, Gary Oldman smoked nearly $20,000 worth of premium cigars. Thus, he felt sick constantly during the grueling filming schedule.
Gary Oldman married Uma Thurman in the early 1990s. Although the marriage lasted only two years, they were one of the most talked-about couples in Hollywood. However, they both admit that the relationship was chaotic and doomed from the start.
He slept in a coffin every night while filming Dracula. To get into the mindset of the vampire, he isolated himself from the rest of the cast. This separation terrified the other actors and made his performance genuinely unsettling.
He accepted the role in Harry Potter for his children. Gary Oldman wanted a role that his sons could actually watch and enjoy. Therefore, he became the beloved Sirius Black to impress them.
He wore a fat suit that weighed 14 pounds (6.3 kilograms) for Darkest Hour. The makeup team spent four hours every day applying the prosthetics. Remarkably, he won his first Oscar for this heavy transformation.
Gary Oldman directed the gritty drama Nil by Mouth. The film depicts a brutal look at working-class life in London. He based the story largely on his own difficult childhood and his father’s behavior.
He almost played the villain in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. He recorded a voice audition for General Grievous. However, he pulled out of the project because it violated union rules regarding actors.
He lost a massive amount of weight to play Sid Vicious. For the movie Sid and Nancy, Gary Oldman ate only steamed fish and melon. Doctors eventually warned him that he was malnourished and needed to stop immediately.
He played a dwarf in the movie Tiptoes. This role remains one of the most bizarre choices in his career. Critics universally panned the film, and Oldman rarely speaks about it today.
Gary Oldman has been sober for over twenty-five years. In the 1990s, he struggled heavily with alcoholism. Fortunately, he entered rehab and completely turned his life around to focus on his family.
He improvised the famous “Everyone!” scream in Léon: The Professional. The director told him to do something wild to startle the other actors. Consequently, that terrifying yell became one of the most iconic moments in cinema history.
He received a “drunk acting” award while he was actually drunk. Early in his career, he won an award for a stage performance. Ironically, he accepted the trophy while intoxicated, which he later said was a wake-up call.
Finally, Gary Oldman plans to retire after his show Slow Horses. He stated recently that he wants to hang up his acting gloves to pursue other interests. Thus, his role as Jackson Lamb might be his final curtain call.
Dame Judi Dench is far more than a legendary actress—she’s a fearless spirit with humor, grace, and endless creativity. From surprising tattoos to royal roles and unstoppable energy, Judi Dench continues to inspire audiences worldwide. Here’s what you didn’t know about her remarkable journey.
Judi Dench
Judi Dench made her professional debut in 1957 at the Old Vic Theatre as Ophelia in Hamlet.
She initially wanted to be a set designer before discovering her love for performance.
Dench earned an Oscar for just eight minutes of screen time in Shakespeare in Love.
She has portrayed Queen Victoria twice—first in Mrs. Brown and later in Victoria & Abdul.
Dench became globally famous as “M” in the James Bond films, starting with GoldenEye (1995).
She holds over 50 major acting awards across theatre, film, and television.
Her eyesight has deteriorated due to macular degeneration, yet she continues to work.
Dench once tattooed “Carpe Diem” on her wrist for her 81st birthday.
She is known for being remarkably down-to-earth and humorous off-camera.
Judi Dench is an expert gardener and spends hours pruning and planting at home.
She’s part of the British royal honours list as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
She has voiced characters in animated films like Nine and Cats Don’t Dance.
Dench starred in the same film, The Importance of Being Earnest, twice—decades apart.
She acted on stage well into her eighties, defying retirement expectations.
Judi Dench reportedly keeps stuffed toys of all her film characters at home as keepsakes.
Anne Hathaway has captivated audiences for decades with her versatile acting skills. You likely know her from The Devil Wears Prada or her Oscar-winning role in Les Misérables. However, her path to stardom contained many unexpected twists and turns. She faced rejection, dangerous accidents, and even a cancelled superhero movie. Furthermore, her personal life holds some strange historical coincidences. Let's explore the lesser-known stories about this talented Hollywood icon.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway originally wanted to become a nun during her childhood. However, she abandoned this specific path after her older brother came out as gay.
Her parents named her after the wife of the famous playwright William Shakespeare. Strangely, fans often note that her husband bears a striking resemblance to the poet.
She was actually the ninth choice for her iconic role in The Devil Wears Prada. Rachel McAdams turned down the part three times before the studio hired her.
During the filming of Interstellar, her space suit leaked in the cold water. She almost developed hypothermia after spending hours submerged in the freezing tank.
The funny scene where she falls off the bleachers in The Princess Diaries was real. The director liked the genuine accident and kept it in the final movie.
She famously lied to director Ang Lee about her ability to ride a horse. Consequently, she struggled during filming for Brokeback Mountain in front of 300 extras.
Anne Hathaway was officially cast as Black Cat in the cancelled movie Spider-Man 4. Unfortunately, the studio scrapped the project before she could ever wear the costume.
She turned down the lead female role in the hit comedy Knocked Up. She felt uncomfortable with the director’s plan to show a graphic birth scene.
For her role in Les Misérables, she ate dried oatmeal paste to lose weight. She lost a total of 25 pounds (11 kg) for the difficult part.
A dangerous riptide almost drowned her while she was swimming in Hawaii. Luckily, a surfer saw her struggle and brought her safely back to the shore.
Her very first acting role was in the television series Get Real. She missed her first semester of college to film The Princess Diaries shortly after.
She won a Primetime Emmy Award for her voice-over work on television. She provided the voice for Princess Penelope in an episode of The Simpsons.
She has a deep passion for physics and watches videos about it daily. Additionally, she holds a strong interest in interior design and home decor.
Anne Hathaway trained extensively in martial arts for The Dark Knight Rises. She learned to fight in high heels to play the character Catwoman perfectly.
She once broke her arm after falling off a bicycle in New York. Despite the injury, she continued to make public appearances with her arm in a sling.
