Dating Charlie Hunnam isn't as glamorous as it seems when he's preparing for a role! The hunky Lost City of Z star, 36, went full method for his new role as isolated British explorer Percy Fawcett and admitted that his girlfriend paid the price.
MORE: Charlie Hunnam Says the Secret to Maintaining His Toned Figure Is Sex… and Lots of It!
"He was very method in an amazingly impressive way," Hunnam's co-star Sienna Miller told ET's Ashley Crossan at the Los Angeles premiere of the film. "He was starving himself half the time, he didn't speak to his [girlfriend] at all, and she's amazing. But he really buried himself into it and he has an intensity and I think it really resonates in the film but we had a lovely time because our dynamic in the film is lovely."
Though Hunnam himself shied away from the "method" title, he did admit to becoming immersed in the role.
"It's a tough job trying to bring characters to life, so whatever you can do to limit the amount of actual acting and work you have to do on set so," he told ET. "A lot of the theme of this film is about the conflict of trying to do what we want for ourselves and our lives and bring forth our personal aspirations and dream for ourselves, and the conflict of how that affects the other people in our lives and our other responsibilities… so I just wanted to feel lonely and selfish so it worked. Thankfully I have an incredible girlfriend who's very, very understanding and supportive of these silly whims that I have."
And Hunnam's longtime girlfriend, Morgana McNeils, wasn't the only one who was distanced from him throughout the filming process. His co-star, Robert Pattinson also got the cold shoulder. But now that filming has stopped, the pair can finally hang out as friends.
"It's nice actually to come out of that fog of the production and see that he's a lovely guy," Hunnam said of Pattinson. "I can actually enjoy having a drink with him now and a hang."
Hunnam noted that his decision to remain aloof on set was a calculated one on his part.
RELATED: Charlie Hunnam Ignored Girlfriend for Months While Filming 'Lost City of Z' -- Here's How He Won Her Back!
"There was something really exciting about the idea of not knowing someone, just letting a relationship exist exclusively on the screen and so I had decided that I wanted to do that," he said. "But sometimes that can be alienating, and put another actor off of their work and I don't want to be that selfish. I mean, I'll be selfish in my personal life, but I got on and I started playing this game with Rob and he just started playing it right back. I think we both really understood what we were doing and there was no real contention or beef between us, that we were just playing the game."
For more from Lost City of Z producer Brad Pitt, watch the clip below!
