One way to get noticed in Hollywood is to go through a shocking physical transformation for a film. There is no question that appearance plays a big part in how a character comes across, and these 10 actors made the ultimate sacrifice – their health – in order to do a role justice.
Above: Matthew McConauhey in Magic Mike (2012) and Dallas Buyer’s Club (2013)
Matthew McConaughey
Dallas Buyer’s Club
To play the role of Ron Woodruff, a man who finds out he is HIV positive and then given 30 days to live, McConaughey lost 47 pounds. To go from a guy who is in great physical shape, to someone who is visibly ill and dying, McConaughey had to change his entire lifestyle. He reports eating 5 ounces of fish and a cup of vegetables twice daily. Tapioca pudding was also a staple. He exercised every day in order to burn at least 1,800 calories, as his goal was to lose 4 pounds a week.
McConaughey is reported as saying “I’m a guy who likes the outdoors, but Ron needed to be pale. I stayed inside. And what did I end up doing? I wrote a lot, I read a lot.” Clearly, he was willing to completely alter his lifestyle for this role, and it shows in his appearance.
