Russell Crowe had to lose his chiseled ‘Gladiator’ figure to play a CIA veteran in 2008’s ‘Body of Lies.’ For the part, and as per Ridley Scott’s request, Crowe had to gain 63 pounds to portray the heavy, sedentary Ed Hoffman. For the actor, this meant hitting an astonishing weight of 257 pounds!
Crowe claimed that he just “decided to eat whatever he wanted,” and made sure he had the most sedentary lifestyle possible. In an interview with E! News, the former gladiator rightly said, “If you want to put on weight, you just elect to live a sedentary life style.” That definitely sounds like a “diet” plan we can get behind.
Shailene Woodley Had 350-Calorie Days in 'Adrift'
Shailene Woodley is a California-born actress that got big in Hollywood after her moving role in 'The Fault in Our Stars.' But it was her portrayal of Tami Oldham in the 2018 film, 'Adrift,' that really took a toll on her. Based on a true story, the film follows a young woman and her partner after they get stranded at sea by one of the most devastating hurricanes in recorded history. Woodley had to drop a lot of pounds and limit her diet to no more than 350 calories a day, and even less for the last two weeks of filming.
The actress confessed she was miserable, and it was one of the hardest experiences of her career. "I can't sleep when I'm hungry, so I was drinking a glass of wine every day to be able to sleep," Woodley said in an interview. For the last weeks of filming, she claimed to eat nothing more than a can of salmon, a little broccoli, and two egg yolks every day.
Jason Segel Dropped 35 lbs. for 'The Five-Year Engagement'
Jason Segel captured audiences with his comedy and "boy next door" sweetness when he appeared in the 1999 comedy series, 'Freaks and Geeks.' Segel went on to become a big Hollywood name after his famous role as Marshall Eriksen in 'How I Met Your Mother.' Although he's been in countless movies since then, Segel has never radically transformed his appearance for a role. That is, of course, until he played Tom Solomon in 'The Five Year Engagement.'
The director reportedly told him he had to drop 35 pounds for the role since it had to be convincing that a woman like Emily Blunt's character would fall for him. Segel decided to get serious, "cut out the midnight pizzas" and just eat healthier in general. Whatever he did, it worked!
Cate Blanchett Became a Man in 'I'm Not There'
Todd Haynes' 2007 film 'Im Not There' is a moving tribute to music legend, Bob Dylan. Several A-list actors play Dylan throughout the film, each portraying a different time of his life. One of those performances is that of Cate Blanchett, who plays a young Dylan in the mid-sixties, a part for which she had to lose a lot of weight.
The Australian actress said in an interview, "He was very androgynous in the time that I was playing him. I had to lose weight to do it." Apart from the weight loss, Blanchett wore a short-haired, wispy wig, and stuck a sock down her pants so she could "walk like a man."
Marlon Brando Stuffed Cotton in His Cheeks in 'The Godfather'
With a career spanning 60 years, Marlon Brando is one of the greatest actors that ever lived, leaving a permanent mark on the 20th-century film. But of course, one of his most memorable performances will always be as mafia patriarch, Vito Corleone, in 1972's 'The Godfather.' Brando was no stranger to fluctuating waistlines since reportedly he had some very odd and unhealthy eating habits, but he still managed to impress Coppola when he lost a significant amount of weight for the part.
But that was the least of his transformations. For the role, Brando drew inspiration from the real-life, American-Italian crime boss Frank Costello, which is why he talks in that very particular voice throughout the film. Also, to appear more intimidating, Brando wore a mouthpiece that was custom-made for him by a dentist and stuffed his cheeks with cotton to make his mouth appear bigger, almost like an angry bulldog. Clearly, it was all worth it in the end, since the actor won his second Oscar for the role.