Hollywood's drug addiction

[Briant_Gumble]

I thought this was a good article in the Independent following the sad death of Phillip Seymour Hofman.

Not quite relevant enough for the clinic.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...an-and-hollywoods-drug-addiction-9105298.html

One thing it doesn't consider though, is that some of these guys are using drugs to enhance their acting not just recreationally.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Some of these "method" actors just have to turn their volume of acting all the way up to 11, don't they?

For me, PSH just always sort of disappeared into his roles, he always seemed so natural that I don't even remember seeing him.

(That's how excellent he was, imo, he was just always so "one of us" people.)

 

[MarkvW]

He really got Lester Bangs in 'Almost Famous.'

 

[Ferminal]

I don't it get it, people taking drugs kill themselves directly or indirectly all the time, that famous people do it occasionally is hardly something to worry about beyond your normal views of drug use in society.

Disposable incomes off the charts and the nature of having blocks of work at high intensity and then blocks of surplus free time.

 

[Briant_Gumble]

Some of these "method" actors just have to turn their volume of acting all the way up to 11, don't they?

For me, PSH just always sort of disappeared into his roles, he always seemed so natural that I don't even remember seeing him.

I agree, nothing will help you disappear into your roles like use of stimulants though.

Daniel Day Lewis is the GOAT of method actors and no doubt a druggie. I remember reading that during a 1989 production of Hamlet, he literally saw an apparition of his dead father on the stage and started talking to it. I find it very difficult to believe he did that purely through the intensity of his concentration and without drugs.

I think some of these guys take it too far, I don't care if one actor can make a believable construct of 8 different personality types, I'd be just as entertained seeing 8 different actors playing a role quite similar to their personality in real life.

 

[movingtarget]

I thought this was a good article in the Independent following the sad death of Phillip Seymour Hofman.

Not quite relevant enough for the clinic.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...an-and-hollywoods-drug-addiction-9105298.html

One thing it doesn't consider though, is that some of these guys are using drugs to enhance their acting not just recreationally.

I think it's more to do with getting through the day. Like PSH himself said. He first started using in his twenties because he was feeling lost. Add to that the ups and downs of fame and family problems, not a good formula.