Ben Foster Lived On The Streets Of L.A. To Prepare For 'Rampart'

January 14th, 2012 8:30am EST

Ben Foster slept rough on the mean streets of Los Angeles for two weeks to get into character as a homeless police informer for new film "Rampart."

The super-serious actor spent months growing a scraggly beard and picked up a wardrobe from a charity store before taking his cardboard sleeping mat to L.A.'s notorious Skid Row.

He tells WENN, "Just living in those clothes helped me, getting my stink in it. It was a great exercise in empathy and being present because everyone is reduced to, 'Well, there's no roof here,' if you're not getting into the shelter that night and it's raining. I was trading cigarettes for Fig Newtons.

"It's tough at night. There's violence there but there's also a beautiful community that tries to take care of their own. You have families sleeping next to families.

"I went out with a piece of cardboard, a knapsack and my wardrobe - bare bones. I was sleeping head to feet along the buildings and I took my experience back to (director) Oren (Moverman) and some things felt right. Like a journalist, you bring it (to) your editor/director and hope they don't cut the s**t out of it and they honor what you brought them."

Related: Ben Foster, Rampart, Celebrity, Movies

Photo Credits: PR Photos

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