The character Fox strove to embody for the crime thriller, ‘Alex Cross,’ was a psycho-serial-killer called Picasso. Fox endured a brutal diet and exercise regime and sacrificed any and all appetizing foods, consuming, at least, one bland meal per day. At the end of it, Fox told Men’s Journal, “It’s gonna take a long time before I can confront eating another plate of steamed broccoli and chicken breast.”
And the actor is not committing to the same workout routine any time soon! Fox had a specific look in mind—menacing and deranged. Looking back, he says being Picasso for two months was a draining experience, mentally and physically. But, “The physical preparation was almost a relief, in some respects, from the headspace,” Fox said, saying of the shoot, “It was one of the more challenging experiences I’ve ever had.”
Zac Efron Builds His Body for ‘Baywatch’
The only thing more captivating than the theatrical release of 'Baywatch' in 2016, was Zac Efron’s abs and pecs. To get there, the star chiseled himself down to just 5% body fat. FYI: it’s nearly impossible, do not try this at home. Efron worked out four to five times a week, and he achieved the perfect beach body in just 12 weeks. He put on 10 pounds of pure muscle by following a vigorous diet and workout plan, with the strict guidance of celeb trainer Patrick Murphy.
The workouts were intense. There were some exercises that Efron did not find fun at all. These were the group circuits with power moves. Trainer Murphy described the brutal nature of group circuits saying they are about “20 alternating jump lunges in one place, 20 jump squats, 60 mountain climbers, power push-ups, followed by a run up five flights of stairs, then one-let squat hops using a TRX rope.”
Tom Hardy Dives into Charles Bronson
Bulking up to play the notorious British prisoner and fighter, Tom Hardy transformed himself into Charles Bronson in just five weeks. When asked about his method for gaining 40 pounds of muscle in just weeks, he said, “I did press ups, push ups, abs work and resistance training with the help of my boy Pnut, who is an ex U.S. Marine.”
According to Hardy, “I put on about 7 pounds a week—no steroids.” But he did mow through Häagen-Dazs, pizza, and Coca-Cola for dessert after his daily serving of chicken and rice. He had to put on pounds to look like the big brawler that Bronson was a young bloke. As an aside, Hardy shared what Charles Bronson thought when he heard Hardy was going to be playing him. Bronson said, “This kid will never be able to play me.” Hardy returned in two weeks; Bronson was impressed. In the end, Hardy said, he thought I did a good job portraying him.
Daniel Radcliffe Starved Himself in ‘Jungle’
Daniel Radcliffe was faced with the challenge of portraying real-life Israeli adventurer, Yossi Ghinsberg, who was stranded in a Bolivian jungle for three weeks, in 1981. Radcliffe subsisted on a starvation diet of one chicken breast and one protein bar a day to prepare. “It’s not recommended, it’s a really unsafe way to lose weight.” Radcliffe admitted.
Ghinsberg survived by foraging fruit and eggs from nests in the Amazon. He was stranded without tools or training. He lost 35 pounds and suffered disease and infection until he was rescued from the rainforest by local people. Radcliffe’s diet, while extreme, lasted only two weeks. And he doesn’t claim to be a method actor. “I’m not a method actor, but it would seem weird if I was playing this guy stuck in the jungle and going home, having a lovely steak dinner at the end of the day.”
Jake Gyllenhaal Transformed in ‘Nightcrawler’
'Nightcrawler,' a film about an articulate but depraved paparazzo crime reporter named Lou, was showered with accolades. Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance earned him a Golden Globe Best Actor nomination. Playing a wildly ambitious low-life reporter, who chases cop cars and ambulances, or beats them there, to score sordid footage of the criminal element in action, was a dark mindset to embrace.
To get into Lou’s head, Gyllenhaal rode along with actual paparazzi ambulance chasers. He also got into character by transforming his body into the gaunt, sunken look, apparent on the reporter’s hollow face. So, he starved himself, subsisting on kale and chewing gum. On top of that, he would run 15 miles back home from the studio each night. He shrunk his 180-pound body down by 30 pounds.