“It Was Like Turning Your Body Into A Chemistry Lab”: These 13 Actors Pushed Themselves To “Awful” Places To Transform For Movie Roles — And They Wouldn’t Recommend It
“There were some nights that I thought I literally was going to die.”
Content Warning: This post discusses restrictive and extreme eating habits, as well as body image issues and depression.
When a well-known actor undergoes a physical transformation for a role, it pretty much always becomes a massive topic of discussion, with the biggest question often being: “How did they do it?”
Over the years, we’ve seen some pretty wild transformations in instances of both bulking up and slimming down. And the lengths that stars go to achieve the onscreen results are sometimes so extreme — and potentially dangerous — that they intentionally never reveal what they did or exactly how much they lost.
However, a number of actors who’ve drastically changed their bodies for movie roles have detailed their strict regimens — more often than not, with the intention of emphasizing how truly miserable and inadvisable it is.
Before we get into it, let’s first make it very clear that extreme dieting can be incredibly dangerous. The majority of these celebs will have had guidance from a professional while undergoing their transformations, and these regimens are not to be replicated. If you or someone you know needs support, you can find resources here.
Without further ado, here’s a list of very dedicated stars who’ve gone to huge extremes for their art. Prepare yourself, because it’s a lot to take in.
1. Zac Efron — Baywatch (2017)
2. Austin Butler — Elvis (2022)
3. Rosamund Pike — Gone Girl (2014)
4. Beyoncé — Dreamgirls (2006)
5. Christian Bale — The Machinist (2004)
6. Chris Hemsworth — In The Heart of the Sea (2015)
7. Matthew McConaughey — Dallas Buyers Club (2014)
8. Ryan Gosling — The Lovely Bones (2009)
9. Tom Holland — Cherry (2021)
10. Jake Gyllenhaal — Nightcrawler (2014)
11. Natalie Portman — Black Swan (2010)
12. Mila Kunis — Black Swan (2010)
13. Ashton Kutcher — Jobs (2013)
Actors are wild. I have no idea how they do it. If you think of any more examples, let me know in the comments.
The National Eating Disorders Association helpline is 1-800-931-2237; for 24/7 crisis support, text “NEDA” to 741741.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-800-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.