It’s no secret that movie stars have to take care of their physical appearance to better their chances of having a successful career. Actors usually have to bulk up for a movie role so they can look heroic or to make their character believable to the audience. It takes a lot of work to prepare for a role, and some actors admit to increasing their protein intake, lifting weights and even taking supplements to develop bulging muscles. Here are 10 examples of the best Hollywood bulk-ups:
Christian Bale
One of the most impressive and extremely dedicated body transformations from any male movie star is from Christian Bale. Before playing Batman in Batman Begins, Bale weighted in at a scrawny 120 lbs for the movie ‘The Machinist’. For this movie, Christian Bale lost 62 lb reducing his body mass to 120 lb. He starved himself for more than 4 months before filming, reportedly living on a cup of coffee and an apple (or a tin of tuna) each day (about 275 calories). Then for Batman Begin, Bale regained all of his mass, plus an extra 60 lbs on pounds after six months of hard work.
Taylor Lautner
The Twilight hunk wasn’t always known for his shirtless scenes. In the first Twilight, Taylor was just a scrawny kid who was going to be replaced for the second movie. Desperate to save his role, he beefed up and gained around 30 pounds of rock hard muscles. Now, he’s known for his impressive abs of steel.
Robert De Niro
In preparation for his role as a professional boxer in the movie Raging Bull, De Niro started to work with a professional trainer. He even adapted the training routine of a pro boxer and was entered in three boxing matches so he can get into character.
Ryan Reynolds
Before staring in Blade: Trinity, Ryan was just an unknown actor starring in a cheesy sitcom. However, when he got a role as a vampire hunter in Blade: Trinity, his life turned around. In preparation for the movie, he started an intense 3-hour exercise routine and even ate 10 small meals each day. The results of all his work are definitely apparent.
Will Smith
When he got the role in the movie Ali, Will had to get the body of a boxer. As a result, he developed a strict regime that caused him to put on 35 lbs. of lean muscle.
Gerald Butler
Gerald landed a role as a warrior for the movie 300, so he had to have a loin-cloth worthy physique. He worked alongside Mark Twight, a famous trainer, who helped the star turn his mediocre stomach into a steel eight-pack.
Here’s a video of the types of training regimes involved for the actors involved in the movie 300.
Mickey Rourke
To play a professional wrestler, the 55-year-old had to gain 30 lbs. of pure muscle.
Jamie Foxx
For the movie Any Given Sunday, Foxx had to lose weight while still maintaining a muscular frame.
Jason Statham
Jason decided not to get a personal trainer to help him prepare his body for the martial arts movie The Transporter. Instead, he motivated himself and ended up putting 30 lbs. of muscle.
Eli Roth
Eli’s transformation from scrawny to bulky for the movie Inglourious Basterds was impressive. He ended up putting on 40 lbs. of steel-like muscle.
None of these movie stars could have piled on this type of muscle bulk without a hell of a lot of hard work in the gym, strict diets and nutrition help from supplements.
