Raging Bull (1980) vs. The Nutty Professor (1996): Robert De Niro, right, helped himself to a few extra cheeseburgers and some tubs of ice cream to play the older version of boxer Jake La Motta in Raging Bull, and with his Oscar win managed to inspire a generation of actors to abuse their bodies in the name of the method. For The Nutty Professor, Murphy, left, put on weight the smart way with a Rick Baker-designed fat suit but gained no kudos from the always sado-masochistic academy. (Universal Studios / AP)
