Usually, people think it’s going to great lengths to memorize their lines, or researching information about their respective role or the plot of the movie they are starring in. However, there are actors who choose to go the extra mile to make sure they are staying true to the character they are playing, which sometimes requires losing or gaining a ridiculous amount of weight. Resorting to extreme diet restrictions and venturing into malnourishment is something that some actors can say they have done, especially at the risk of a role they are extremely passionate about. Take a look at some of the most extreme diets celebs have followed to prepare for their movie roles (that you probably should never try). RELATED: Emmys Are Trying To Look Diverse But Didn’t Award Any Actors Of Color He went on a diet of asparagus, lettuce, and apples. In an interview, Phoenix opened up about the task of losing weight for the role, saying it “was a horrible diet.” RELATED: Joaquin Phoenix And Rooney Mara Welcome Their First Child Together Hathaway told Vogue that she first lost ten pounds to begin filming and then later lost an additional 15 pounds by eating nothing but two thin pieces of oatmeal paste a day. “Looking back on the whole experience - and I don’t judge it in any way - it was definitely a little nuts,” said the actress. RELATED: Anne Hathaway Stars In The Remake Of ‘The Witches’ — Meet Her Husband, Adam Shulman For three or four weeks, Hemsworth had to drop 500-700 calories a day. The actor had even shared a photo of himself on Twitter, captioning it, “Just tried a new diet/training program called “Lost At Sea”. Wouldn’t recommend it…” Hemsworth apparently lost an additional 15 pounds after having to slim down for his role in ‘Black Hat.’ RELATED: 7 Of Pete Davidson’s Exes On What It Was Like To Date Him (And Why They Broke Up) Director Darren Aronofsky was so worried about how thin Portman was getting, he made sure her trailer was consistently stocked with food. The actress shared that when the movie was eventually finished shooting, she went back to her normal way of eating. RELATED: 9 Celebs Who Survived Being Cheated On Bale used vitamins, a sparse diet, and loss of exercise to drop the weight. In an interview with People magazine in 2005 Bale spoke about his decision to lose weight for movie roles. “I will adjust to what is needed,” he explained, “but only if I have quite an obsession for the role.” RELATED: 6 Celebs Who Anna Wintour Has Allegedly Banned From Ever Attending The Met Gala He went on a liquid diet and started running on a treadmill three hours a day. 50 Cent revealed that when keeping the weight off started to get difficult, he did research on other actors who had lost weight for movie roles. “I actually got on the computer,” he said. “When it started getting difficult, I was looking to see what their experience was like.” RELATED: 50 Cent Blasted For Using Michael K. Williams’ Death To Promote His TV Show & Bring Up A Past Feud McConaughey followed a rigorous workout routine that required him to burn 1,800 calories in a single day, and a crazy diet of only eating fish and a cup of vegetables. RELATED: Matthew McConaughey Says He’s Against Vaccine Mandates For Kids Ahead Of Rumored Texas Governor Campaign Although, her choice wasn’t exactly to lose weight, but rather to feel comfortable on set. “When [the corset] was on, we would be on continuous days, so we wouldn’t stop for lunch … you’d be sort of eating on the move. In that case, I couldn’t untie the corset,” the actress told E! News. RELATED: Did Lily James And Chris Evans Have An Affair? Details About Their Rumored Summer Romance In an interview with Oprah, the singer revealed that she wanted to lose the weight and make a physical transformation. “It was difficult because I love food. I love to eat. I did a fast — a master cleanser for 14 days,” she said. “Everybody was eating Krispy Kremes around me. I was grouchy, but I did it and I lost the weight.” RELATED: Beyoncé & Jay-Z Partner With Tiffany’s To Offer $2 Million In HBCU Scholarships – How To Apply After the film, Zellweger had lost the weight she had gained and even continued to lose weight after. The public scrutiny of her weight gain made the actress feel violated. “I realized the influence of living in a society that focuses so much on physicality has affected me,” Zellweger told Vogue in 2013. RELATED: Source Claims John Mulaney’s Ex Hooked Up With Timothée Chalamet After Split — And We Hope It’s True Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.
