Top 10 Times Artists Went Too Far

Top 10 Times Artists Went Overboard

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Times Artists Went Overboard.

For this list, we’ll be looking at any time artists got a little too excited or worked up for their performances. Regardless of the medium, these performers went to extraordinary and sometimes dangerous lengths for their art.

Did we forget one of your favorite artists going overboard? Let us know in the comments below.

#10: “Rhythm 0” by Marina Abramovic

Marina Abramovic developed “Rhythm 0” as a radical piece of performance art. The 1974 experiment tasked onlookers with interacting with her motionless body. They were allowed to use one of seventy-two objects on Abramovic. For six hours, the artist did nothing in a room as people did as they pleased with the items available. Some of the public cut her and even put a loaded gun in her hand. Thankfully, the performance ended without her getting seriously injured. It brought out the darkest depths of humanity in its simple conceit. Clearly, the entire thing went off the rails in the worst way possible.

#9: Christian Bale Loses Weight

There's only a handful of artists that would go to the lengths that Christian Bale did for the film "The Machinist." The actor lost 62 pounds to enter the role of insomniac Trevor Reznik. It resulted in a startling and gaunt transformation that tested the artist's health. Even though the intended weight was meant for a shorter build, the performer decided to put his body to the test anyway. Bale maintained an extremely limited diet that ended up being slightly better than starvation. It wasn't the last time the star tried a massive change to his appearance either. For the sake of everyone's health, the unhealthy trend deserved to end long before the release of this movie.

#8: Ritchie Blackmore at California Jam

Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was especially fired up during this concert. He channeled all of his pent-up aggression into an infamous outburst at California Jam. While messing around with his guitar, the musician decided to attack one of the stage cameras. He absolutely devastated multiple instruments and threw various objects into the crowd. The show wasn't over though as stagehands added fuel to the fire. Pandemonium ensued as a planned pyrotechnic laid waste to Blackmore’s amplifier. Smoke and flames brushed across the stage as the whole act came to a dramatic end. We're all for an energetic performance, but this was a little bit much.

#7: Chris Burden’s “Shoot”

In 1971, artist Chris Burden etched his name into history with his performance "Shoot." Captured on film, the performer's friend fired a .22 caliber rifle into his shoulder. The non-lethal, yet shocking act spoke to Burden's feelings about violence in the media. No matter what he did after, he never quite escaped the controversy surrounding the shooting. It was an extreme way to discuss destructive events like Vietnam. His subversive outlook on life and art was ahead of its time and maybe not the best idea ever. Luckily, the art of shooting never became popular after this stunt.

#6: Leonardo DiCaprio Eats a Real Liver

Filming “The Revenant” presented a number of challenges for lead Leonardo DiCaprio. His most method performance involved inclement weather and remote filmmaking that pushed him and his fellow artists to their breaking point. In a scene where DiCaprio’s character consumed a bison liver, the performer opted to eat the real thing. Naturally, the vegan actor was especially put off by the experience. It’s safe to say that you don’t have to abstain from animal products to find that decision questionable. He had the choice to eat a gelatin version, but the star decided to go the extra mile for his art.

#5: The Reincarnation of Orlan

The artist known as Orlan spent the early 1990s getting nine plastic surgeries. Each one was meant to be the likeness of famous women from art history. She explored the process of altering one’s own image in the most drastic way possible. While some people have experience with plastic surgery, this experiment took the idea of change to another level. She confronted the concept of cosmetic surgery, femininity, and art all in one project. Orlan’s radical transformations into subjects like the Mona Lisa shocked critics. Her bold and irreversible methods were not for the faint of heart.

#4: Jim Carrey Transforms into Andy Kaufman

“Man on the Moon” was a biopic centering around the life of comedian Andy Kaufman. Jim Carrey starred as the real man in a completely method performance. Carrey only appeared on set in character to the detriment of the cast and crew. This led to frustration and antics that nearly derailed the project altogether. He also showed up as Kaufman’s aggressive alter ego Tony Clifton and berated people the entire time. The actor’s tactics made for a stressful atmosphere that was recounted in the documentary “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond.” Needless to say, it sounded like a miserable experience for everyone else involved.

#3: Axl Rose vs. St. Louis

Frontman Axl Rose’s reputation took a substantial hit after this 1991 incident. The singer took issue with a camera-wielding fan at a concert in St. Louis. Security wasn't as helpful as the singer had hoped, leading him to take matters into his own hands. Rose jumped into the crowd like it was a WWE match. Afterwards, he decided to leave in protest. The rowdy spectators didn’t take kindly to the sudden exit and decided to riot. They tore the Riverport Amphitheater venue into pieces. Hundreds of thousands of dollars later, many blamed the artist for stoking the flames of violence.

#2: David Blaine Freezes in Time

David Blaine made it clear on several occasions that he wanted to be the modern-day Harry Houdini. In his “Frozen in Time” special, the magician attempted to withstand freezing temperatures. He stood inside a block of ice for just over 63 hours in a truly crazy scenario. While that sounds impressive, it was actually hours short of his ultimate goal of 72 hours. Blaine failed to reach his intended time due to reasonable concerns over his well-being. To avoid any lasting health problems, the performer was removed from the ice. Would you put your life on the line for a magic trick? We didn’t think so.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Keith Moon Blows Up His Drum
Moon Loaded His Bass Drum with Gunpowder That Nearly Deafened Him & His Bandmates

Jared Leto as the Joker
The “Suicide Squad” Performer Went Nuts with His Method Acting & Mischievous Antics


Sophia Urista Pees on a Fan
The Brass Against Singer Relieved Herself on Stage While Standing Over a Festival-Goer


Robert De Niro Grinds His Teeth
To Play Ex-con Max Cady, De Niro Paid Thousands to Grind His Teeth Down

Jubal Brown Paints With Vomit
The Artist Decided to Spit up Colors in a Strange New Way to Fill a Canvas

#1: Tom Cruise Doing All of His Own Stunts

Tom Cruise started out as an actor and later became a full-blown stunt man. He became a producer on his films to ensure that he can do whatever he wants on screen. His roles as Maverick and Ethan Hunt inspired the star to put his body on the line for roles. Cruise trained to fly planes and jump out of them like it was nothing. Somehow through it all, he escaped with only minor injuries. His defiance of age stereotypes and gravity baffled the mind. Nobody has stopped Cruise’s one-track mind from entertaining audiences with increasingly dangerous stunts.