07/25/2026
What does it actually take to win an Oscar? For many of Hollywood's greatest performers, it started with deciding to do something that seemed physically or psychologically impossible. Natalie Portman trained like a professional ballerina for a year. Hilary Swank lived as a man before filming Boys Don't Cry. Heath Ledger isolated himself for months developing The Joker from the inside out. Joaquin Phoenix lost more than 50 pounds. And now Tom Holland is beginning the same kind of journey β learning to dance like Fred Astaire, one grueling rehearsal at a time, with "absolute dread" and complete commitment in equal measure.