On the brink of decline from a super-celeb apex, Demi Moore battled back with an extreme training regimen to transform herself into a female Navy SEAL who breaks into the exclusively male military club. Preparing to get into the character of Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, G.I. Jane’s protagonist, took the same sacrifice and commitment SEALs train for. To keep it authentic, Moore trained with Navy SEAL coach Stephen Helvenston and celebrity trainer, Gregory Joujon-Roche.
She hit her cardio routine by 4 a.m. every morning and then moved on to muscle strengthening: one-arm push-ups, dumbbell bench presses, and shoulder workouts, nine weight training exercises in all. Cardio came from treadmill workouts or running in Central Park with a security guard entourage. Other efforts to get in the headspace of a SEAL included shaving her head, completing vigorous Navy SEAL obstacle courses, and doing push-ups in the mud.
Hilary Swank Transforms for ‘Million Dollar Baby’ in Just 90 Days
Swank played “Maggie” Fitzgerald, a Southern waitress who ends up in L.A. gym Hit Pit. Clint Eastwood, director and producer, co-stars with Swank. He’s a curmudgeonly trainer who begrudgingly trains her. In reality, her training already happened. It was one of the most difficult things she’s ever had to do. “I started working out five hours a day—I had to eat 210 grams of protein a day,” she said.
“The thing was, I needed nine hours of sleep a night because your muscles have to be able to rest in order to build or you actually reverse yourself. So, I slept nine hours a night, but I had to wake up in the night and drink protein shakes because I couldn’t go that long without eating,” Swank explained. She reached her goal in an astounding 90 days. Producers asked her to pile on 10 pounds of muscle weight, but she went above and beyond with over 20 pounds of pure muscle added to her frame. She earned a second Academy Award for her performance.
Jared Leto Packs It on for ‘Chapter 27’
Jared Leto piled on the pounds to play John Lennon’s assassin in 'Chapter 27.' To be precise, he packed on 67 pounds! Playing Mark David Chapman, the American Beatles fan who took the life of the world-adored English rock and roll icon required more than a physical alteration. Leto needed to alter his voice and demeanor. “[Chapman] barely ever speaks above a whisper and everything is kind of choked off in the throat,” Leto said.
The dough-boy body Leto procured portrayed the killer in J.P. Schaefer’s Chapter 27 precisely, but it did not win any fitness awards. In fact, his physique earned him an Rx for Lipitor instead. Ending up with gout and doctor recommendations for Lipitor left Leto with almost zero regrets. “The script didn’t say, ‘Page 1: You gain 67 pounds, and you’re miserable for two months.’ The point is, Leto nailed the part.
Matthew McConaughey Shed Significant Body Mass for ‘Dallas Buyers Club’
Matthew McConaughey dropped almost 50 pounds to play Ron Woodroof, a Texas AIDS patient given 30 days to live, in the brilliant film 'Dallas Buyers' Club.' To look like a man emaciated from HIV, he not only cut his caloric intake but also burned 1,800 additional calories a day with heavy exercise.
His wife Camila restricted his eating by preparing his meals. He set a goal to lose four pounds per week. He lost a grand total of 47 pounds. To make sure his weight loss was as healthy as possible, he met up with a nutritionist. He had the desired appearance in mind.
Jonah Hill Packed on the Pounds for ‘War Dogs’
In 2016, Jonah Hill rounded his figure out an extra 40 pounds to look like real-life arms contractor and weapons dealer, Efraim Diveroli. But after the film wrapped, Hill was ready to get rid of the heavyset look, so he dialed up his '21 Jump Street' co-star Channing Tatum and asked him to hook him up with his trainer and nutritionist.
He took up Jiu Jitsu. At a gym in Manhattan, he has worked with a trainer doing boxing moves. He’s not as comfortable sharing his workout routine as other stars are. But Hill is happy to be in shape. “I really believe everyone has a snapshot of themselves from a time when they were young that they’re ashamed of. For me, it’s that 14-year-old overweight and unattractive kid who felt ugly to the world who listened to hip-hop and who wanted so badly to be accepted by this community of skaters.”