Fast-forward to 2008. He’s nominated for There Will Be Blood. He played Daniel Plainview, an oil tycoon so evil he could make a vampire blush. The movie is basically two hours of him saying “I drink your milkshake” in a terrifying whisper.
He wins again. This time, he’s more composed. He gives a graceful, poetic speech thanking his wife and kids. He even makes a joke about how scary his character was. But here’s the thing: he wasn’t really there.
Most actors in the audience were probably thinking, “That guy is a vampire.” Because DDL didn’t break character for the entire shoot. He lived as a cruel oil baron for months. The Oscar was his trophy for surviving his own method.
