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: Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (1994) and Cast Away (2000)
Tom Hanks
Cast Away
Tom Hanks had to gain weight for the first half of Cast Away, and then during a year long break in production, he lost 55 pounds to portray a man who has been stranded on an island for years. He started on a very strict diet – fish, vegetables, very little carbohydrates, and only water. He would also do all types of cardio for about 2 hours a day, 6 days a week.
He was nominated for an Oscar for the role but has been vocal about never wanting to lose extreme amounts of weight in the future. He was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and doesn’t think his fluctuating weight did him any favours.
Hanks’ willingness to lose weight already helped him win an Academy Award for playing a lawyer dying of AIDS in Philadelphia.
