15 Stars Who Follow Totally Unusual Diets

The silver screen often demands that actors physically embody the characters they play, leading to some of the most stunning body transformations in Hollywood history. This commitment to authenticity frequently requires performers to adopt extreme dietary regimens. To either pack on muscle or shed pounds to appear convincingly frail, these stars embrace eating plans that showcase an incredible focus and dedication to their artistic work.

Beyond the temporary needs of a film role, some actors choose to follow unconventional eating philosophies as a permanent part of their lives. These diets stem from deeply held personal beliefs about health, ethics, or simply unique preferences. From consuming only clay to eating the same meal every single day, the dietary choices of these actors provide a fascinating glimpse into the disciplined and sometimes strange world they inhabit.

Christian Bale in ‘The Machinist’ (2004)

Christian Bale is legendary for his physical transformations, but his preparation for ‘The Machinist’ is perhaps his most shocking. To portray an emaciated, guilt-ridden factory worker, he dropped more than 60 pounds, a feat that left him looking truly skeletal on screen.

His daily diet was dangerously minimal, consisting of just one can of tuna and a single apple. This sparse intake, which amounted to only a couple hundred calories per day, was supplemented with black coffee and water. The result was a haunting performance, but it came at a significant physical cost.

Dwayne Johnson

The incredible physique of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is the result of relentless training and a massive diet. To build and maintain his mountain of muscle, he consumes an enormous amount of food, often spread across six or seven meals throughout the day. His daily caloric goal frequently exceeds 4,000 calories.

For years, a notable staple of his diet was a huge quantity of cod, though his meals now also include other lean proteins like buffalo and chicken. These are balanced with large portions of rice and sweet potatoes. It is a meticulously structured plan designed for one purpose, to fuel a powerhouse.

Anne Hathaway in ‘Les Misérables’ (2012)

For her powerful role as the tragic Fantine in ‘Les Misérables’, Anne Hathaway committed to a drastic weight loss. To achieve the character’s frail and desperate appearance, she went on a near-starvation diet that provided her with fewer than 500 calories each day.

Her meals during this period were famously bleak, consisting of little more than two small squares of dried oatmeal paste daily. This intense regimen helped her lose about 25 pounds very quickly and earned her an Academy Award, but she has since acknowledged the immense physical and emotional strain it caused.

Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley is well known for her holistic approach to life, which naturally extends to her diet. One of her more unconventional practices is the consumption of clay. She believes this helps purify the body by absorbing toxins and heavy metals so they can be flushed out.

She is also a passionate forager who believes in the importance of knowing where food comes from. Her diet is rich in organic and unprocessed foods, many of which she gathers herself from the wild. This reflects her deep connection to nature and a commitment to clean living.

Matt Damon in ‘Courage Under Fire’ (1996)

To play a soldier suffering from the traumas of war in ‘Courage Under Fire’, a young Matt Damon undertook a severe diet on his own accord. To lose the necessary 50 pounds for the part, he ate nothing but chicken breasts for every single meal.

The extreme diet, combined with a demanding running schedule, worked for the role but wreaked havoc on his body. The rapid weight loss caused lasting damage to his adrenal gland, and he required medical treatment for more than a year to fully recover.

Hugh Jackman in the ‘X-Men’ series

Becoming the formidable Wolverine required Hugh Jackman to follow a punishing diet and workout schedule. The primary goal was to bulk up considerably, which meant consuming a massive number of calories, often landing between 4,000 and 5,000 each day.

This food intake was divided into six to eight meals to constantly fuel muscle growth. His diet was built around lean proteins like chicken and fish, along with complex carbohydrates. This highly disciplined approach was essential for crafting the iconic hero’s powerful physique.

Marilyn Monroe

The legendary Marilyn Monroe had some surprising dietary secrets for maintaining her celebrated hourglass shape. Her morning routine included a very unusual breakfast, a high-protein drink made of two raw eggs whipped into a glass of warm milk.

Her dinners were typically straightforward and protein-heavy. She favored broiled steak or lamb chops, which she would eat with a side of raw carrots. She had such a fondness for the vegetable that she would often eat them throughout the day.

Jared Leto

Jared Leto is another actor known for pushing his body to the absolute limit for his roles. To play a trans woman battling AIDS in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, he achieved his shocking weight loss by essentially stopping eating, a process that left him incredibly thin and frail.

In stark contrast, he gained over 60 pounds to portray Mark David Chapman in ‘Chapter 27’. He force-fed himself unhealthy, high-calorie concoctions, including pints of melted ice cream mixed with olive oil. Both transformations had a severe impact on his health.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage follows a personal and peculiar philosophy when it comes to eating meat. He chooses to only consume animals that he believes have ‘dignified’ mating rituals. This unique standard guides his choices at the dinner table.

As a result of this belief, he prefers to eat fish and poultry. He specifically avoids pork, as he does not find the reproductive habits of pigs to be respectable. It is a dietary choice rooted entirely in his own eccentric worldview rather than any nutritional plan.

Ashton Kutcher in ‘Jobs’ (2013)

To prepare to play Steve Jobs, Ashton Kutcher decided to fully immerse himself in the tech visionary’s life, which included adopting his infamous fruitarian diet. This meant for a time he ate only fruits, nuts, and seeds, hoping it would provide insight into the character.

The experiment in method acting went terribly wrong. Shortly before filming was scheduled to start, Kutcher was hospitalized with severe pancreatic pain. This dietary choice had thrown his system into chaos, an alarming outcome given Jobs’ own battle with pancreatic cancer.

Alicia Silverstone

Actress Alicia Silverstone has been a vocal champion for a vegan and macrobiotic lifestyle for many years. She is so passionate about her plant-based eating philosophy that she wrote a book about it called ‘The Kind Diet’, which focuses on whole grains, vegetables, and beans.

She credits her diet with giving her clear skin and high energy levels. As one of the most prominent advocates for veganism in Hollywood, she has inspired many to reconsider their relationship with food for health, ethical, and environmental reasons.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Through her lifestyle platform, Gwyneth Paltrow has become synonymous with promoting very specific and often restrictive diets. She is a big proponent of cleanses and elimination diets, which often involve cutting out gluten, dairy, red meat, and processed sugar for periods of time.

Her diet focuses heavily on organic, unprocessed foods, and she is known for popularizing unique ingredients and wellness trends. These eating plans, while sometimes controversial, are a central part of the health-conscious brand she has built.

Renée Zellweger in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ (2001)

Unlike most actors, Renée Zellweger had to gain a significant amount of weight to play the beloved lead in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’. She successfully added about 30 pounds to her frame by indulging in a 4,000-calorie-per-day diet.

Her eating plan was filled with pizza, doughnuts, and other high-calorie treats that she would normally not eat. After filming was complete, she would switch back to a much more controlled diet of lean proteins and steamed vegetables to return to her natural weight.

Chris Pratt in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014)

Chris Pratt’s transformation from a comedic actor to a ripped action star was one of Hollywood’s most talked about. A huge part of his success was a strict diet, which involved completely cutting out beer and drinking an enormous amount of water.

Working with a nutritionist, Pratt’s plan included a 4,000-calorie diet of high-protein, low-carb foods. The combination of intense hydration, a structured diet, and hard work in the gym allowed him to shed 60 pounds in six months and become the hero Star-Lord.

Beyoncé in ‘Dreamgirls’ (2006)

For her role in the movie musical ‘Dreamgirls’, Beyoncé committed to a rapid physical transformation. To lose weight for the part, she adopted the Master Cleanse, a liquid-only diet famous in Hollywood circles.

The diet consists of drinking a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper, with no solid food allowed. She reportedly lost about 20 pounds using this method. It’s a prime example of the extreme lengths performers will go to for a role.

Which actor’s dietary commitment do you find the most shocking, or is there another one you think deserves a spot on this list? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.