Why Kumail Nanjiani Underwent A Drastic Physical Change For Welcome To Chippendales
It's very common for actors to gain or lose massive amounts of weight to play a role, and it's not always a healthy thing. In a 1987 interview with AP, Vincent D'Onofrio admitted that he had gained 75 pounds for his role in Stanley Kubrick's film "Full Metal Jacket." "My usual breakfast consisted of steak, three eggs, a half loaf of bread and a quart of milk," the actor explained. In a 2014 interview with the BBC, Matthew McConaughey talked about how he lost 47 pounds for his role in "Dallas Buyers Club" where he played a man diagnosed with HIV. "I met with a nutritionist," McConaughey explained about his weight loss. "I gave myself four months to lose the weight. I had my programmed meals, lost 3.5 pounds a week — like clockwork — and got down to my desired weight, which turned out to be 47 pounds lighter."
But, according to a Fox News article, such massive weight gain or loss can be unsafe, both for the actor and their audience. "Movie roles can indeed induce eating disorders," psychologist Dr. Nancy B. Irwin told Fox. "Actors, understandably, must morph for certain demands of the role. It can be done with extreme diligence and care of the body, but a proper mindset, medical doctor, nutritionist and psychologist or psychiatrist's guidance is often needed." However, media expert Lanae Brody told Fox that the audiences looking up to these actors can develop unhealthy relationships with their body.
According to an article in Vulture, Kumail Nanjiani wasn't asked to get washboard abs for his role in "Eternals," but he wanted the first South Asian superhero to look as strong as any other Marvel hero. But for his role in the new Hulu series "Welcome to Chippendales," Nanjiani had to transform in the opposite direction.
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
Kumail Nanjiani put on 25 pounds for Welcome to Chippendales
In an interview with the "SmartLess" podcast, Kumail Nanjiani explained how and why he gained 25 pounds of fat for his role as Steve Banerjee, the founder of Chippendales in the new series "Welcome to Chippendales." "Yeah, the guy who founded Chippendales did not look like them, and part of the story is this guy's king of a world he doesn't fit in, you know, because it's all these white dudes who look like Adonises and then this guy was like a bigger guy, who did not look like a male stripper," Nanjiani explained. "So, I had to change the way I look."
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nanjiani explained that embodying the character of Banerjee, who was much stiffer in his bodily movements than Nanjiani, led to extreme physical pain and made it difficult to film. He also told Vanity Fair that the role took an emotional toll on him, and he relied on the more experienced actors on the set to teach him how to go in and out of character and keep the character separate from his real life. Ultimately it sounds like it's been a grueling process for Nanjiani, and fans will get to see the results of his labor when "Welcome to Chippendales" debuts on Hulu tomorrow.