Every now and then, actors have to adapt their bodies to a certain movie role and that usually means A rollercoaster ride of kilos. We have compiled the most frightening physical transformations of the greatest Hollywood actors for you.
We often have doubts about our own bodies and wish we had this or that kilogram less on our ribs. Whether abstinence from chocolate and a fitness subscription really pay off in the end remains questionable. Losing weight means a lot of discipline and perseverance, and our favorite stars have to bite the bullet every now and then for their dream roles. Losing or gaining a few kilos is no problem for actors – we think. On the screen, they finally present their completely emaciated, full or well-trained bodies, which they had to acquire for a role. The results are overwhelming and the acting is often worthy of an Oscar – but can it still be healthy? In any case, we prefer to lean back comfortably on the sofa and bite into the chocolate bar with relish.
We have put together the most incredible physical changes the stars have undergone for their movie roles. See for yourself:
Michael Fassbender
In the film “Hunger” (2008), political prisoner Bobby Sands goes on a hunger strike. In order to play the role of Sand, Michael Fassbender really had to starve. For a long time before filming began, the German-Irish actor was only allowed to eat just under 900 calories a day. He has lost about 20 kilos in total.
Jared Leto
It’s always difficult to tell what Jared Leto looks like right now. He often changes, and we get to see that in his films. He gained almost 30 kilos for the role of Mark David Chapman, John Lennon’s murderer, in “Chapter 27” (2007). Leto underwent an equally impressive transformation in 2013 for “Dallas Buyers Club”. There he played the transsexual Rayon, who is suffering from AIDS. He lost almost 20 kilos for this role.
Christian Bale
Christian Bale is clearly the master of losing and gaining weight in the shortest possible time. No one has changed physically for his film roles as often and as much as he has. He probably makes the most frightening image in “The Machinist” (2004). For the role of machine worker Trevor Reznik, who has suffered from insomnia for years, Bale slimmed down to the skin and bones and lost 28 kilos. A year later, he subjected his body to an extreme workout – and put on 45 kilos for the role of Batman (2005). Most of it was pure muscle mass.
Bale scared us almost as much as he did in “The Machinist” in “The Fighter” (2010). He lost another 20 kilos for the role of crack-addicted boxing pro Dicky Eklund. But to top it all, in 2013 he took on the role of pot-bellied conman Irving Rosenfeld in “American Hustle”, for which he had to put on 20 kilos of pure fat.
Renée Zellweger
Renée Zellweger is probably the best female example. Women are supposed to fight a tougher battle against their weight, but Zellweger shows us that anything is possible! In 2001, she gained 14 kilos for the role of the dorky Bridget Jones, then in 2002 she lost ten kilos for “Chicago” and two years later gained so much weight again that she once again fit into the role of Bridget Jones.
Matthew McConaughey
In 2012, Matthew McConaughey amazed us with his steely body in “Magic Mike”. In order to play Ron Woodroof, who had AIDS, in “Dallas Buyers Club”, McConaughey had to lose around 17 kilos. The strict discipline definitely paid off, as he won an Oscar for the role in 2014.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal has also surprised us on screen time and again. He first presented himself as a sexy muscleman in “Prince of Persia” (2010), only to appear again as a slight, somewhat emaciated man in “Nightcrawler” (2014). In 2015, however, he surpassed himself. An extremely rigorous daily workout helped him prepare for the role of boxing world champion Billy Hope.
Rooney Mara
Rooney Mara had herself disfigured for the film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011). She had tattoos painted all over her body, lost seven kilos and even had to get countless real piercings.
Tom Hardy
From junkie to prisoner and then to boxing pro: actor Tom Hardy can’t make up his mind. With him, it also seems like an easy game to build up muscles quickly. In 2007, he played the slender 68-kilogram junkie in “Stuart: A Life Backwards”, a role that doesn’t correspond much to his natural physique. A year later, he surprised everyone as the muscle-bound Bronson in the film of the same name about the British prisoner. He quickly put on almost 20 kilos of fat and muscle for the role. This was followed in 2011 by the boxing drama “Warrior”, for which he trained another 14 kilos of pure muscle mass.
Adrien Brody
Starving himself also paid off for Adrien Brody, as he received a well-deserved Oscar in 2003 for his role in the film “The Pianist” (2002), for which he lost 14 kilos in six weeks. In “Predators” (2010), the emaciated Brody is very different from the one we know from the Second World War drama. Muscles all over – in preparation, he trained six days a week, put on eleven kilos and slept in the jungle at night. The results are impressive.
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman’s weight has made the headlines several times – she is often labeled as too thin. For her leading role in “Black Swan” (2010), she lost almost ten kilos of her healthy body weight to play an emaciated professional ballerina. Portman even won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
50 cents
50 Cent blew us away in the lead role of the movie “All things fall apart” (2011). He plays football ace Deon, who is diagnosed with a fatal tumor. In the fight against cancer, the character loses a huge amount of weight, and 50 Cent lost 25 kilos in two months for the role. Unbelievable!
Charlize Theron
Ex-Sexiest-Woman-Alive Charlize Theron plays a not-so-sexy role in “Monster” (2003). In order to play a mentally ill serial killer, Theron put on 15 kilos.
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro also showed us, albeit still in black and white, that an actor has to be able to control his body. In 1976, he lost almost 16 kilos for the film “Taxi Driver” and drove through New York as a cab driver for two weeks in order to be able to put himself in the role better.
It was a while ago, but the performance that world star De Niro gave for the 1980 boxing drama “Raging Bull” is still incredible. He achieved the seemingly impossible. First he built up 25 kilos of muscle mass to be able to play the boxer Jake LaMotta during his ascent. LaMotta himself trained with the actor. Afterwards, during a four-month break from filming, De Niro went on a veritable eating spree and put on as much weight as he could to play an aged and dejected LaMotta.
Russel Crowe
New Zealand actor Russell Crowe likes to eat beyond his appetite. At least that’s how it seems in his films. Back in 2008, the former gladiator appeared somewhat fuller in “Body of Lies”, as he gained almost 29 kilos for his role. And in the current action comedy “The Nice Guys” (2016), he once again appears a little firmer, as he had to lose 25 kilos after completing the film in order to get back to his normal weight.
Tom Hanks
We all remember an emaciated Tom Hanks on the verge of insanity, stranded on a deserted island with only his best friend Wilson left to chat to. He won an Oscar for his role in “Cast Away” (2000) – so the diet and the 22 kilos he lost paid off.
Chris Pratt
Before Chris Pratt starred in “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), he was the slightly fatter Andy Dwyer in the series “Parks and Recreation” (2009-2015). In interviews, he repeatedly emphasizes that he is actually a sports fanatic and enjoys eating. To get the role in the Guardians, he had to lose 28 kilos of fat and build up a lot of muscle mass within six months. We like the result!