18 Actors Who Went to Extreme Lengths for Their Roles

Actors are required to transform themselves into a character completely different from themselves. These 18 actors put their bodies on the line and put on serious weight for roles and for some of them, it was a life-changing career move.

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser A24
Photo Credit: A24.

 The Whale stars Fraser as a 600 lb man, but he didn’t gain that much weight for the role. He also wore a suit and prosthetics. 

Christian Bale

Photo Credit: Sony Pictures.

In the 2013 critically acclaimed film “American Hustle,” Christian Bale took on the role of Irving Rosenfeld and underwent a remarkable physical transformation by gaining over 40 pounds. This weight gain was essential for him to fully inhabit the character. Bale continued his dedication to his craft in 2018 when he gained weight once again, this time for his role in the movie “Vice.”

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro _ Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Inc
Photo Credit: Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Inc.

Back in 1980, Robert De Niro took on the famed role of Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. Playing the character of a boxer, he had to train as a boxer, which eventually led to his 20 pounds of muscle weight gain.

Charlize Theron 

Photo Credit: Denver and Delilah Films/ K_W Productions.

In 2003, Charlize Theron, a South African actress, portrayed real-life female serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the film “Monster.” To authentically embody the character, Theron underwent a significant physical transformation by gaining nearly 30 pounds. She believed that this weight gain aided her in comprehending the character more deeply. Theron later repeated this commitment to her craft by gaining weight for her role in the 2018 film “Tully.”

Tom Hardy 

Tom Hardy Warner Bros
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

To embody the iconic character of Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises,” actor Tom Hardy underwent a rigorous physical transformation, including gaining more than 30 pounds. Hardy committed himself to bulking up in order to authentically portray the imposing and formidable antagonist in the film.

Matthew McConaughey

Photo Credit: Highway 61 Films.

When Matthew McConaughey starred in the movie Gold, he gained a total of 45 pounds to play the character of Kenny Wells. 

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg Columbia Pictures
Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures.

Mark Wahlberg – an actor well-known for his fit physique – recently transformed to a heavier weight for his role in 2022’s Father Stu. Gaining a total of 30 pounds, he transformed his body at age 50 by consuming 11,000 calories per day for a series of months. 

Renee Zellweger

Renee Zellweger Universal Pictures
Photo Credit: Universal Pictures.

Famous for her repeating roles in the Bridget Jones movie franchise, Zellweger has been known to gain weight for these rom-coms. In 2001, she gained about 30 pounds to play Bridget Jones in the first movie. 

Jared Leto

Photo Credit: Peace Arch Entertainment.

Musician and actor Jared Leto has long maintained quite a slim physique, but in 2007, he took on a role in Chapter 27 that required him to gain quite a bit of weight. Starring as John Lennon’s stalker and eventual murderer, Leto gained 67 pounds, making himself almost unrecognizable. 

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank Warner Bros. Pictures
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

One less-obvious example of an actor gaining weight for a role is Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby. She gained mainly muscle weight (19 pounds) by drinking egg whites and working out.

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling taniavolobueva _ Shutterstock.com 
Photo Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency_Shutterstock.com.

Many know Ryan Gosling as the slim, attractive male lead in romantic comedies, but in 2009 he was gaining weight for quite a different role. When he starred in The Lovely Bones, he reportedly gained a whopping 60 pounds. Later, this choice would result in director Peter Jackson firing him.

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor FX Networks MGM Studios
Photo Credit: FX Networks/MGM Studios.

Actor Ewan McGregor notably gained weight for his role in the 2014 TV series Fargo. He said in one press conference that he gained the weight by loading up on carbs and eating whatever he wanted to eat. 

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper Warner Bros
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Another muscle weight transformation, Bradley Cooper put on the pounds to star as Chris Kyle – a real-life United States Navy SEAL sniper – in American Sniper. In total, he gained 40 pounds as he bulked up, ate tons of calories, and trained every day.

George Clooney

George Clooney Warner Bros
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Although he didn’t like the process, George Clooney did in fact gain a significant amount of weight to star in the movie Syriana. He gained 30 pounds to fit into the role in the 2005 movie, which reportedly changed his personality during filming.

Michael B. Jordan

Michael B. Jordan Warner Bros
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Michael B. Jordan joined the ranks of actors who have bulked up significantly for roles as professional athletes when he joined the cast of Creed in 2015. In the recent Creed movie, Michael B. Jordan ended up gaining more than 20 pounds as he bulked up and transformed himself to play Adonis Creed. 

Vincent D’Onofrio

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Vincent D’Onofrio reportedly gained 75 pounds for his role in Full Metal Jacket, which he struggled to maintain throughout the entirety of filming. Before the film, he weighed 200 pounds and had a relatively trim figure.

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell Film4 Productions
Photo Credit: Film4 Productions.

In 2015, Colin Farrell starred in the deadpan Yorgos Lanthimos movie The Lobster. In a span of just two months, the actor had to gain a total of 45 pounds to fit into his role. 

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill Warner Bros
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Back in 2015, Jonah Hill starred in the film War Dogs, for which he had to gain 40 pounds. In the film, he transformed into his arms dealer character. Later, he would shed the weight once off-set.

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