Extreme Actor Transformations for Iconic Roles

To prepare for the role of insomniac Trevor Reznik in this psychological thriller, the British actor reportedly ate just one can of tuna fish and a single apple per day.

He dropped over 60 pounds in the process and weighed as little as 110 pounds during the filming of the movie.

Before joining the MCU, Aussie star Chris Hemsworth cut a relatively lean physique.

With help from personal trainer (and former Navy SEAL) Duffy Gaver, the actor bulked up for the role of Thor. He was similarly beefed in subsequent Marvel movies.

Chris Pratt’s most adoring fans still remember him as pudgy Andy Dwyer in the comedy series “Parks and Rec.”

For the role of Peter Quill aka Star Lord, the actor adopted a strict diet and fitness regimen. He lost 60 pounds in about six months while simultaneously building muscle.

The once somewhat scrawny star of movies like “Donnie Darko” completely reinvented himself for the 2015 boxing drama “Southpaw.”

He reportedly worked out for as much as six hours per day for six months in a row. Early stills showed Gyllenhaal raging in the ring, his body covered in muscle.

After gaining 40 pounds for his role in 2016’s “War Dogs,” Hill started hitting the gym on a regular basis.

He was noticeably slimmer by the time he appeared in this surreal Netflix series, about two strangers who undergo a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. The actor routinely gains and loses weight and not always in tandem with an upcoming performance.

McConaughey underwent both a physical and career transformation when he starred in the acclaimed biopic “Dallas Buyers Club,” playing AIDS victim Ron Woodroff.

To prepare for the role, he maintained a calculated diet plan and lost about 3.5 pounds per week on average. The film went on to win three Academy Awards, including Best Actor.

Bale’s legendary weight fluctuation continued with a fact-based crime drama, in which he plays a portly conman.

In the actor’s own words, he spent two months eating “doughnuts, a whole lot of cheeseburgers, and whatever I could get my hands on.” He added about 43 pounds to his waistline as a result.

Fairly lean and muscular at the height of his career, Russell Crowe weighed as much as 257 pounds when he starred in a geopolitical thriller.

To prepare for the role of CIA veteran Ed Hoffman, he stuck primarily to a high fat diet and sedentary lifestyle. “Bring on the burgers, baby!” he said in an interview from that same year.

Iconic character Bridget Jones takes control of her life — or at least tries to — in the comedy smash, tracking her own attempts at weight loss.

For star Renee Zellweger, that meant gaining about 30 pounds before shooting began. Themes of body image and health would similarly play a role in the 2004 sequel, “Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason.”

The hip hop star and actor combined a liquid diet with intense treadmill workouts in preparation for a sports drama.

He went from 214 pounds down to 160 pounds and appeared almost unrecognizable in early photos. In the film, he plays a promising college football player who struggles with cancer.

An india drama follows Mark David Chapman, played by Leto, as he stalks and then murders rock icon John Lennon.

For his portrayal of the infamous killer, actor Jared Leto gained a whopping 67 pounds. A number of critics praised the performance, but still panned the film.

Matt Damon called his 30-pound weight gain for a 2009 dramedy “very, very easy” and “very, very fun.”

He went on to explain, “I just basically ate everything I could see for a few months.” It tells the true story of company executive turned delusional whistleblower Mark Whitacre (played by Damon).

Having little to no dance experience, Mila Kunis spent months training for her role as a ballerina in the gripping thriller “Black Swan.”

She also maintained a strict diet regimen so as to push her physical abilities to their very limits.

Like co-star Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman also put her body through the wringer in preparation for “Black Swan.”

It was a rude awakening for the actress, who dreamed of being a ballerina when she was younger. She explained, “You don’t drink, you don’t go out with your friends, you don’t have much food, and you are constantly putting your body through extreme pain.”

Anne Hathaway did far more than cut her hair when prepping for the role of a homeless working girl in the blockbuster musical “Les Miserables.”

To understand her character on a deeper level, the actress performed extensive research on sex slavery and human suffering.

Well-known for his method approach, Jared Leto took the role of transgender AIDS activist Rayon to heart.

Not only did he shed over 25 pounds for the portrayal, but he stayed in character both on set and out in the real world. He later claimed, “To get a little judgment, some meanness, a little condemnation was a useful thing for the part.”

Tom Hardy is another actor who famously transforms himself from one role to the next.

For this gripping prison drama, he gained approximately 40 pounds in just five weeks. He also spent time visiting prisons and meeting with his character’s real-life counterpart.

Like the character she plays, Demi Moore shaved her head and underwent serious training for the military drama “G.I. Jane.”

She also teamed up with an actual Navy SEAL instructor during the shoot, who helped her maintain a diligent mindset and dedicated workout routine.

To play real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos, Theron gained 30 pounds, plucked her eyebrows, and sported withered prosthetic teeth (among other things).

She snagged an Academy Award for the effort and soared to the top of Hollywood’s A-list.

In anticipation for the water-based adventure “In The Heart Of The Sea,” Hemsworth unveiled his radical body transformation on Instagram.

The actor’s dirty face, long beard, and lanky frame took numerous fans by surprise. ‘Just tried a new diet/training program called “Lost At Sea,”‘ read the adjoining caption.

To best represent his character’s journey, Hanks gained about 50 pounds before filming began on the acclaimed survival drama “Cast Away.”

The production was then stalled for an entire year so that he could lose all the weight he’d gained (and then some). He later told EW, “The only thing I did not give up was coffee.”

No stranger to physical transformation, McConaughey packed on 47 pounds for the crime drama “Gold.”

Loosely based on true events, it follows desperate prospector Kenny Wells (McConaughey) on a risky venture.

Scorsese’s seminal boxing drama required two separate body transformations from De Niro, who bulked up to play a young Jake LaMotta.

True to his character’s story arc, the actor then let his muscle turn to fat. He also trained with LaMotta for over a year before filming began, and even competed in three organized bouts.

Fassbender exercised regularly and ate only 900 calories a day for the biographical drama, in which he plays IRA prisoner Bobby Sands.

According to reports, the actor’s diet consisted primarily of sardines, nuts, and berries. As a result, he dropped down to a mere 127 pounds.

Based on a true story, this gripping saga depicts Yossi Ghinsberg’s struggle to survive while lost in the Amazon.

To best capture the mental and physical deterioration of his character, Daniel Radcliffe lost 14 pounds over the course of the shoot. He also contended with a number of jungle hazards, including raging rapids and poisonous snakes.

Ben Kingsley’s most iconic role put him in the life and mind of legendary activist Mahatma Gandhi.

Not only did the actor temporarily adopt his character’s vegetarian diet, but he also practiced yoga and meditation. He ultimately lost 20 pounds for the performance.

Emile Hirsch underwent two separate phases of weight loss for the role of real-life adventurer Christopher McCandless.

After shedding 26 pounds before shooting began, he lost another 15 pounds for the film’s final act.

Following her role as a college student in “The Social Network,” Rooney Mara took on a drastically different appearance for this David Fincher thriller.

Playing hacker Lisbeth Salander, she donned shorter hair, numerous piercings, and a boatload of (temporary) tattoos.

Colin Farrell did not turn into a lobster for this surrealist dramedy, in which his character must either find love or become a crustacean.

The actor did, however, gain 45 pounds for the role. To achieve this feat, he consumed up to 4,000 calories a day and avoided all exercise for two months.