Jonathan Demme’s 1993 film masterpiece, ‘Philadelphia,’ won numerous awards for its performances, direction, and music. But undeniably, Tom Hanks’s performance as Andrew Beckett, a homosexual lawyer who is HIV-positive, is one of the best roles of his entire career.
It earned Hanks his first-ever Academy Award for Best Actor, and it was well-deserved, considering he had to lose nearly 30 pounds in a few weeks. In fact, it was reported that actor Matthew McConaughey asked Tom Hanks for advice on how to lose that amount of weight before his role in the acclaimed 2013 film, ‘Dallas Buyers Club.’
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.
Gwyneth Paltrow Gained More Than 20 lbs. in 'Country Strong'
We all know Gwyneth Paltrow as a die-hard superfood and fitness advocate, which is why it was so surreal to see her as a curvy country songsinger in the 2010 film, 'Country Strong.' Paltrow plays Kelly Canter, a country music superstar and recovering alcoholic trying to find her way back to the top. For the role, the actress had to gain over 20 pounds - an experience she said she really didn't enjoy, saying the worst part was not being able to work out.
Shot in Nashville, Tennessee, the actress said there was no shortage of places to eat in order to put on weight. Paltrow apparently did enjoy eating crispy fried chicken slathered in gravy with some buttermilk biscuits on the side. And how could she not?! The blonde beauty said that she went back to an extreme workout and healthy food regime as soon as filming ended because she felt her "body was falling apart." It certainly looks like she managed to put it back together.
Mark Wahlberg Lost 40 lbs. of Body Mass for 'The Gambler'
Marky Mark made cinema history in 1997 when he played the star of Paul Thomas Anderson's classic film 'Boogie Nights.' With the countless movies he's starred in ever since, it's hard to pick the best performance, but one thing's for sure: his most incredible transformation was in the 2014 drama, 'The Gambler.' Playing a literature professor with a serious gambling addiction, Wahlberg had to lose 40 pounds!
The actor claimed that he was on a rigid six-week liquid diet that consisted of drinking 8 ounces of almond milk three times a day. "I was miserable because I like food," said Wahlberg in an interview with E!. And since the actor wasn't losing enough weight on the almond milk diet, he also had to exercise for three hours every day, after a 12-hour workday!