Charlize Theron Declines to Put on Weight for Any New Roles, and There’s a Valid Reason

Charlize Theron is choosing to move away from roles that demand significant physical transformations. The Academy Award winner recently elaborated on her decision in an interview, and it’s completely understandable.

Charlize Theron’s unwavering commitment to her craft has led her to embrace challenging roles, such as her memorable performances in Monster (2003) and Tully (2018). In these films, she underwent significant physical transformations, gaining weight to authentically portray characters like a real-life convicted criminal and an exhausted mother of three. Her dedication was duly rewarded, as she even clinched an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the 2003 film.

Despite her success with these roles, Theron has expressed a reluctance to undergo similar physical transformations in the future. She candidly shared her perspective, stating, “I will never, ever do a movie again and say, ’Yeah, I’ll gain 40 pounds.’ I will never do it again because you can’t take it off,” She also reflected on her experience during “Monster” at the age of 27, noting, “When I was 27, I did Monster. I lost 30 pounds, like, overnight. I missed 3 meals, and I was back to my normal weight.”

Nonetheless, the passage of time has taken its toll, and the 48-year-old actress confessed that her body no longer sheds extra pounds as effortlessly. “Then, I did it at 43 for Tully, and I remember a year into trying to lose the weight, I called my doctor, and I said, ’I think I’m dying because I cannot lose this weight.’ And he was like, ’You’re over 40. Calm down. Your metabolism is not what it was.’ Nobody wants to hear that,” Theron candidly admitted.

Furthermore, she reflected on the increasing challenges of performing stunts in action movies as she gets older. “The thing that really bums me out is that I make action movies now, and if I hurt myself, I take way longer to heal than I did in my 20s,” she added. “More than my face, I wish I had my 25-year-old body that I can just throw against the wall and not even hurt tomorrow. Now, if I don’t work out for 3 days and I go back to the gym, I can’t walk. I can’t sit down on the toilet. It’s all those very real moments.”

Undergoing transformations for a role is a regular part of an actor’s journey. In the present day, many of these transformations are achieved with the aid of makeup or visual effects. Nevertheless, a handful of committed Hollywood veterans continue to employ extreme methods to authentically embody their characters.