Bradley Cooper recently bulked up to 225 pounds to play US Navy Seal Chris Kyle in "American Sniper."
His daily regimen included two intense workouts and eating more than 5,000 calories per day.
He's not the only actor to undergo extreme measures to gain and lose weight for a role. Plenty of stars have endured grueling diets and workouts to be in tip top shape for their roles as superheroes, ballerinas, boxers and more.
Keertana Sastry and Jennifer Michalski contributed to this story.
Bradley Cooper gained 40 pounds for "American Sniper."
The Oscar-nominated actor told Men's Health he worked with a trainer twice a day to help him gain the weight in 10 weeks.
In the first workout, beginning at 5 a.m., they focused on structural exercises like deadlifts and squats to build a foundation solid enough to hold the extra mass. The second workout, late in the afternoon, was more focused on traditional muscle-building exercises. Cooper needed both types of training to convincingly portray Chris Kyle.
Jake Gyllenhaal looked gaunt after losing 30 pounds for his role in "Nightcrawler."
Gyllenhaal really went all out to get into the mind of his deranged, career-hungry freelancer journalist.
The actor told Variety he didn't take on any special diet. Instead, he just stopped eating.
“I would try to eat as few calories as possible. I knew if I was hungry that I was in the right spot. Physically, it showed itself, but chemically and mentally, I think it was even a more fascinating journey. It became a struggle for me.”
Gyllenhaal added that he would often go on 15 mile runs from his home to the film's set.
In addition, his co-star Riz Ahmed claimed the star would chew flavored gum to trick his mind into believing he was eating a meal.
Chris Pratt lost 60 pounds in six months for "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Pratt said he ditched beer to take on the role of Peter Quill in Marvel's hit. He also divulged his workout routine with a personal trainer and nutritionist to Men's Fitness.
It consisted of running, swimming, boxing, kickboxing, a triathlon, and consuming 4,000 calories a day.
"I actually lost weight by eating more food, but eating the right food, eating healthy foods, and so when I was done with the movie my body hadn't been in starvation mode," Pratt told People magazine.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
