Many people see acting as a simple job that almost anyone can do, but this domain requires more sacrifice and effort than you might think. Acting is not only about wearing certain outfits, crying instantly or becoming someone else by changing your personality and learning a speech. There are certain actors who underwent dramatic transformations to play a role in a film. Of course, we are not talking about those stars who had to let their hair grow on their bodies or to cut their hair entirely, but about those actors who had to completely change their lifestyle and diet.

The weight loss process should be gradual and healthy if you want to avoid certain health problems, sagging skin, or stretch marks. People who want to gain weight should eat healthy foods to avoid fat deposition or certain diseases, and individuals who want to increase their muscle mass should not only have daily workouts but also consume only certain foods that stimulate muscle growth.

Imagine trying to lose a few pounds in a few days just for a film role that needs you almost anorexic or gaining weight in a short period of time just to fit in a movie character. Even though there are people who see this whole process as a simple task, the truth is that there is, in fact, a lot of effort behind the scenes.

For example, there are actors who had to stick to a 500 calorie diet a day to lose weight – which is actually unhealthy, but they had to do this quickly – not to mention that the normal amount of calories that you have to eat in a day is approx. 2800 (for men) and about 2200 (for women). In addition, there are stars who have had to eat a lot of fast food and stick to a caloric diet just to change their body size, while others have spent their time only at the gym to increase their muscle mass, which is not that simple, of course.

With that in mind, here are some celebrities who went on extreme diets, completely changing their lifestyle in a short period of time to play a character. Read on for more info!

Natalie Portman

• She dropped about 20 pounds for her role in the psychological horror film Black Swan (2010).

Natalie Portman is an Israeli-born American actress and director who has received a lot of accolades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Our beautiful actress started her acting career at the age of 12 by starring in the drama Léon: The Professional (1994). She gained international fame after starring in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). The actress attended Harvard University for a bachelor’s degree in psychology but chose to continue acting.

However, for her role in the American psychological horror film Black Swan (2010), Natalie not only had to learn ballet for several months before filming began, practicing for about 16 hours a day, but she had to follow a strict diet as well. These sacrifices were not so easy and she thought she might die from being so skinny.

In addition, Portman managed to drop about 20 pounds. She said that she tried to follow the actual diet of a ballerina, which contained only  “a small salad for lunch, a small amount of nuts, fruit and nothing in the evening,” the actress said. Nevertheless, these efforts earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

You might also like: 7 Items That Are Just Status Symbols. 

Charlize Theron

• She gained 50 pounds for her role in the comedy-drama film Tully (2018).

Charlize Theron is a South African and American actress who has received several accolades throughout her acting career, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award. She’s also one of the highest paid actresses in the world. Theron was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2016. The beautiful actress gained international fame in the 1990s, after starring in a few successful movies, such as The Devil’s Advocate (1997), Mighty Joe Young (1998), and The Cider House Rules (1999).

However, it’s no secret that she had numerous roles for which she had to adjust her body size, such as her role in Monster (2003) – a film that earned her a Silver Bear and Academy Award for Best Actress. Nonetheless, nothing compares to her transformation for the American comedy-drama film Tully (2018) in which she had to gain about 50 pounds for her role as Marlo.

Asked about her transformation, the actress said that “for the first time in my life I was eating so much processed foods and I drank way too much sugar. I remember having to set my alarm in the middle of the night in order to just maintain [her weight].” She had to eat cold macaroni and cheese during the night to maintain that weight.

Here are 8 Famous Co-Stars Who Hated Each Other in Real Life. 

Chris Hemsworth

• He dropped 33 pounds for his role in the historical adventure-drama film In the Heart of the Sea (2015) and gained 20 pounds for his character Thor.

Christopher Hemsworth is an Australian actor who rose to fame after starring in the soap opera Home and Away (2004–2007). He is internationally known for his role as Thor in a lot of films, such as Thor (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). He’s also one of the highest paid actors in the world.

He’s not only a talented actor, but Hemsworth has had to undergo a lot of transformations and sacrifices for his roles. For example, in the historical adventure-drama film In the Heart of the Sea (2015), Hemsworth had to stick to a strict diet to drop about 33 pounds, to make the story more believable. At that time, he said that his diet consisted of one boiled egg, a couple of crackers and a celery stick. His colleagues helped him stay motivated and he said during an interview that “I was skinnier than ever before but at least we were losing weight together.”

For playing as Thor in the superhero films Thor (2011) and The Avengers (2012), Hemsworth gained 20 pounds and hit the gym with trained and former Navy SEAL Duffy Gaver. Gaver said that Hemsworth crushed every single workout and the secret to his muscles was: red meat, heavy weights, and protein powder.

You might also be interested in: Top 7 Richest Women in the World. 

Christian Bale

• He lost 60 pounds for his role in the psychological thriller film The Machinist (2004).

Christian Bale is an English actor who has adopted an intensive method acting (techniques built on Stanislavski’s system that encourage sincere and emotionally expressive performances). Bale is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2011, he was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine. He started his acting career at the age of 13 by starring in Steven Spielberg’s epic coming-of-age war film Empire of the Sun (1987).

Well, we have to admit that a good actor will always be the result of a cross between talent, hard work and sacrifice. This ‘recipe’ is also used by Bale, who followed a strict diet to lose 60 pounds and get into character for a movie role in the psychological thriller film The Machinist (2004). He was almost anorexic and his diet consisted of cigarettes and whiskey – but this diet is extremely unhealthy, so don’t try this! “I was waking up with heart palpitations and just not feeling right at all,” he said.

In addition, here are 7 Celebrities Who Have Died from Coronavirus.

Shailene Woodley

• She achieved her dramatic weight loss for the survival drama film Adrift (2018) by consuming only 350 calories a day.

Shailene Woodley is an American actress and film producer who gained more fame after starring in the TV drama series The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013). She has received numerous accolades throughout her acting career, including a Cannes Trophée Chopard, a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival, nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

For the survival drama film Adrift (2018), Woodley had to play the role of Tami Oldham who got lost at sea with her injured fiancé in a horrific storm. So, to make the story more believable, Woodley had to follow a strict diet and rigorous training sessions in order to build strength for sailing properly.

So, she had to consume only 350 calories a day. In order to lose weight, she skipped dinner and limited her food intake. “For the last two weeks, I had a can of salmon, some steamed broccoli and two egg yolks every day — 350 calories. It was [extremely] miserable” Woodley said.

According to health experts, people who don’t have a problem with their actual weight, but still follow a low calorie diet risk developing anorexia nervosa.

In addition, you might also like: 12 Successful Celebrities Who Never Went to College.

Anne Hathaway

• She lost 25 pounds for her role in the musical romantic drama Les Misérables (2012)

Anne Hathaway is an American actress and the recipient of many accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2015, she was one of the highest paid actresses in the world. Hathaway appears in numerous media articles and magazines as one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her debut film is the Disney comedy The Princess Diaries (2001), but in 2005 she started to play adult roles by starring in dramas Havoc and Brokeback Mountain.

Hathaway faced major changes and dietary sacrifices to portray Fantine (a starving prostitute with tuberculosis) in the musical romantic drama Les Misérables (2012), so she lost 25 pounds for this role. Asked about that diet, the actress refused to give details, as she didn’t want to encourage this chaotic lifestyle, but in essence, she was just starving herself. Unfortunately, her bones had become so weak and sensitive that she reportedly broke her arm.

Fortunately, her efforts were rewarded and this role earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Here are 6 Famous Americans Who Have Studied Abroad.

 Matthew McConaughey

• He lost 38 pounds for his role in the biographical drama film Dallas Buyers Club (2013).

Matthew McConaughey is an American actor and producer who gained more fame after starring in Dazed and Confused (1993).

In the 2000s, the actor became best known for starring in a lot of romantic comedies, such as The Wedding Planner (2001), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009), and so on.

He is still considered one of the most attractive men in the world.

However, for his role as Ron Woodroof, a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS, in the drama film Dallas Buyers Club (2013), McConaughey had to drop 38 pounds.

So, he followed a strict diet and did cardio. Nevertheless, this role earned him widespread praise and several accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Actor.

His transformation from a Rom-com actor to a dramatic leading man was dubbed “The McConaissance”.

You might also like: 7 Bizarre Dishes on Victorian Dinner Tables You’d Probably Hate.

Jared Leto

• He gained 67 pounds for his role in the biographical drama film Chapter 27 (2007).

Jared Leto is an American actor and musician who rose to fame by starring in the TV series My So-Called Life (1994).

He also portrayed a transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club (2013), a role that earned him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. Just like Christian Bale, he’s a method actor.

For his role in the biographical drama film Chapter 27 (2007), Leto had to gain 67 pounds to get into his character, Mark Chapman – the man who killed John Lennon.

He said that he managed to gain weight by drinking microwaved pints of ice cream mixed with olive oil and soy sauce. Unfortunately, after playing this role, he ended up with gout – a form of arthritis.

Here are 7 Ordinary Things That Have Changed Immensely Through History.