Nov 07 2008
7 Significant Body Transformations For Movies
Talk about commitment to a profession. Some would say what these guys did is flat out dumb. Take this quote for example:
All of Damon’s organs had been strained by his weight loss and it would take years for his metabolism to return to normal. And the good news? “The good news,” the doctor explained, “is that your heart didn’t shrink.”
But others would argue that these actors are just committed to their craft. Either way, it’s pretty impressive how these guys managed to transform their bodies to adjust to their characters for these movies.
Here are 7 significant body transformations in movies
Christian Bale in The Machinist
63 pounds. That’s what it took for Bale to land the lead role in The Machinist. I mean he definitely wins the prize here. He was somewhere in the 120’s at 6 ft tall. His normal weight is between 185-195. Wow.
Robert Deniro in Raging Bull
Let’s take it in reverse. “Give me that bag of chips!” Deniro put on an astounding 50 lbs to play the older Jake LaMotta. It’s amazing to see how ripped he is in the beginning and how chunky he gets towards the end.
Sylvester Stallone in Copland
Stallone packed on 40 lbs for this one. And word is he didn’t even use steroids! Just good old fashioned ice cream. Way to go pal.
Ed Norton in American History X
Has anyone ever seen Norton this jacked? I didn’t think so. He was a house in this flick. What I don’t understand is why he didn’t stay that way. If you look like that, why not stay looking ridiculously in shape? Anyone interested in the American X workout? Word is he did this in 3 months. Anyone seen my horse syringe?
Tom Hanks in Cast Away
Hanks lost over 50 lbs to play the stranded ex Fed Ex Employee. Pretty impressive. Wilson! Give me a Hamburger! Wilson!
James Spader in Supernova
People are probably wondering what the hell Supernova is anyway. I’ll tell you what it is. It’s Lou Diamond Phillips, Peter Facinelli and James Spader on a ship doing steroids. When the hell was James Spader EVER huge like this? This one blew me away.
Matt Damon in Courage Under Fire
Damon lost 40 lbs for this role as a drugged up Gulf War Veteran. What’s notable is that he did this without the help of a nutritionist.
| Share |
More Unreal Posts
- A Look Back At Christian Bale Through the Years
- The New Generation of Buff Action Actors is Pretty Weak
- A Very Realistic Sylvester Stallone Vampire Picture
- Christian Bale: What are You Doing To Yourself?
- The Morning Link: Why Are They Continuing Da Vinci Code?
Christian Bale and Matt Damon look sexy all buffed up. But Edward Norton? He’s a hot skinny dude.
Yeah, Bale is a madman but awesome that he would go so far to get a role! And Norton…..Norton…..mmmm….
How about Vincent D’Onfrio in Full Metal Jacket…he gained 90 lbs to play Gomber Pyle which I believe is still the most an actor has gained for a role.
Needs more Benicio Del Toro for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
You forgot the most important aspect of the Bale transformation. 2 months after shooting the Machinist, Bale started shooting a little movie call Batman Begins. He weighted around 240 lbs for the duration of the film. So to recap, he went from around 120 in the Machinist to 240 in give or take two month…
Bale definitely wins, but going to second Vincent D’Onofrio here. Look at his filmography and realize that Full Metal Jacket and Adventures in Babysitting were released in the same year.
To Ralph…………something sounded not right about Bale and 2 months going from 120lbs to 240lbs is both physically dangerous and impossible. Anyways as per Wikipedia……..”Still fresh from The Machinist, it became necessary for Bale to bulk up to match the powerful physique of Batman. He was given a deadline of six months to do this. Bale recalled it as far from a simple accomplishment: “…when it actually came to building muscle, I was useless. I couldn’t do one push up the first day. All of the muscles were gone, so I had a real tough time rebuilding all of that.”[24] With the help of a personal trainer, Bale succeeded in meeting the deadline, gaining a total of 100lbs (46kg) in six months. He went from about 130lbs to 230lbs.[30] He then discovered that he had actually gained more weight than the director desired, and dropped his weight to 190lbs by the time filming began.[31] (Bale is 6′1″ tall).”
Bale also said he would never do it again, he thinks it cause him some severe damage to his body, esp his heart.
“Damon lost 40 lbs for this role as a drugged up Gulf War Veteran. What’s notable is that he did this without the help of a nutritionist.”
Or a grocery budget.
Damon ate nothing but a potato and chicken and ran about 20 miles every day if i remember correctlly
Pretty Awesome Stuff
I’m the only one see Matt Damon in his 2nd pic is a white version of Obama?
Where are the ladies? Charlize Theron and Rene Zellwiger fattened to play parts, too.
“With the help of a personal trainer, Bale succeeded in meeting the deadline, gaining a total of 100lbs (46kg) in six months”…. it sounds like steroids, it is IMPOSIBLE to gain 46 kg in 6 months by natural training form, it is 7,666 kg per month or 1,916666 kg per week, that is not posible without steroids
What about Clooney for Syriana? I was surprised he was not on there.
What about Brad Pitt in Fight Club?!? I mean I know he already has a pretty amazing body anyways but in that movie..wow
Emille Hirsch lost a significant ammount of weight for Into the Wild as well.
How about Jared Leto in Chapter 27, especially compared to his role from Fight Club.
I think Toby Maguire desreves a mention since he had the difficulty of bulking-up for Spider-Man on a completely vegetarian diet.
[…] Transformations and Buff Actors Unreality - 7 Significant Body Transformations For Movies | Unreality - The New Generation of Buff Action Actors is Pretty Weak | *sigh* the things actors […]
Looks like someone poached your idea
http://www.popcrunch.com/celebrity-character-actors/
james spader looked so wrong in supernova. he looked like some kind of a whacked-out freak by bulking up like that for that movie. totally creepy.
George Clooney for Syriana
Not one of the top transformations but still impressive: Kurt Russell in Soldier
uhmm, how can you possibly forget Benicio Del Toro being doc gonzo in faer and loathing. He had to put on at least 120 pounds.
Did no one see 300?
Gerard Butler as Leonidas, pretty impressive…from whatever he was before.
What about Gary Oldman? He lost so much weight for Sid & Nancy that he had to be hospitalised, and thus had to GAIN weight to play the basically anorexic Sid Vicious
Will Smith anyone?
you forgot JARED LETO in Chapter 27
http://www.usmagazine.com/files/leto_blog.jpg
Linda Hamilton — T2
How did Mickey Rouke get missed? He used to be both skinny and good looking but for “Sin City”, or even “The Westler” he was massive. Unlike when he played in “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” when he hid his chihuahua behind his back.
Then there’s also Michael Biehn who for “Stiletto” got Built. Scary!
Would love to see photos of these guys before and after side by side.
John C. McGinley went from 210 to 147 pounds and had dreadlocks sewn into his scalp for Highway:
http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/694/694676p12.html
wingtale: Rourke didn’t change his body for a movie, he went on steroids, went into prize fighting (whatever that is) and had plastic surgery done on his face. I can see why he is surprised that he’s managed to rebuild his acting career.
Norton & Spader did nothing special in their supposed transformations.
What Bale did for The Machinist was STUPID. Probably Damon too.
A f’n movie role is not worth jeopardizing your health.
Dennis Quaid for Wyatt Earp.
Heard he damaged himself so much that he still suffers from it.
And the movie blew chunks compared to Tombstone.
What was he thinking?
Val Kilmer just used a little red make-up around the eyes, coughed a lot, and it was the performance of a career.
I mean really. what gets into their heads?
That pic of Bale is frightening.
And it’s not like he needed the money or anything.
8 or 10 years off your life at the end for a fricking movie? And a bad one in Quaid’s case.
edward norton didn’t stay like that because he had to lose weight to look like a normal guy in fight club. i would say it was worth it.
what about De Niro’s transformation in Cape Fear?! He was like 55 when he blew everyone away as Max Cady in that film….granted his change in size in Raging Bulls is by far the most impressive, but he basicly got fat to make that movie, in Cape Fear he toned up to such a degree that he actually did crunches hanging upside down from a bar like in the film, name any other actor in their 50s that did that on film?
Oh….and Bale in American Psycho, that is like a combination of Nortan from American History X and Brad Pitt from Fight Club, the shape he got in for that film blow Batman out of th water….
But my real beef is the fact that De Niro’s transfermation in Cape Fear wasn’t on the list, the mere fact that it was over looked even in the other coments bugs me.
Granted the guys that muscled up did not put the stress on their bodies like the ones who dropped weight to the point of starvation, unless these actors took the steroid route. When I saw “Supernova” years ago I almost did not recognize James Spader because of the unbelievable amount of upper body muscle he packed on. His biceps looked like something out or a muscle builder competition.
Bale started “Batman begins” 6 months after “the machinist”(dixit “Batman Begins” bonus)
and Jared Leto?
[…] before he bulked up and WHOA. He’s most definitely earned a retroactive spot on our “significant body transformations for movies” […]
You missed mathrew mcconaughy ( spelling is bad ) in reign of fire…….bald and still looking awesome
Gerard Butler in 300!
THIS IS SPARTA!!
Jeremy Davies in Rescue Dawn! He was down to close to 100 pounds.
STALLONE IS A NOTORIOUS PROPONENT OF “chemical-enhancement”. steroids and human growth hormone my friend. its actually very very very very popular with hollywood types. Just as much as with athletes. Think about it, (no testing, high demands) it makes sense. Arnold, and ALL those body building types were on the junk. And they make no bones about it, when their around their contemporaries. ENIGMA