10 superstars who risked their careers for a role (With Pictures)

8. Charlize Theron: Monster

Charlize Theron, former model turned actress, played real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos for her role in Monster. A crime drama film directed by Patty Jenkins, Monster tells the story of a real-life serial killer, a prostitute who murdered six men, and was later executed through lethal injection.

Just like Cameron Diaz, Theron is seen as a pretty face, but that changed when she successfully transformed for this role. In order to portray Aileen Wuornos, Charlize Theron had to gain 30 pounds, making her completely unrecognizable. She risked her career by taking on a role that required her to forget her modeling past and be “ugly”, which in turn earned her 17 awards and she even won the best actress Oscar for her performance.