Actors Who Transformed Their Bodies Over The Course Of Their Show's Run

Actors being so committed to film roles that they change their voice, conduct, and bodies is such a tired trope that news of an actor going "method" is often met with disdain from certain fans. However, in television, excluding some controversy surrounding Jeremy Strong's method acting in "Succession," performers who transform are nearly always greeted with acceptance and in some cases even celebration.

This is not intended to denigrate actors who take their craft seriously and go to great lengths to put themselves in positions where they can provide believable performances. Rather, it is to examine why actors on television typically have an easier time avoiding fan scrutiny when they do the same. Actors on television sometimes entirely change their bodies from what it was in past seasons due to the long-running nature of television shows.

The truth is that most television actors transform their bodies for a variety of reasons other than to make their roles more believable, which may have something to do with the grace audiences normally show them. On the other hand, fans may spend more time with actors in television series and develop a bond with their characters. In that breath, let's explore some well-known instances of television stars who underwent complete physical transformations during a show's run.

At the beginning of his Hollywood career, Rob McElhenney worked as a waiter and appeared in minor roles. He had a lot of almost scenarios in the film industry; first when his debut major acting role in "The Devil's Own" was edited out of the final cut of the picture, and probably more painfully when his script for a Paul Schrader feature eventually fell through. McElhenney never gave up though, and with only $200, he shot what became "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," which received a full season order from FX.

It wasn't always a given that "It's Always Sunny" would make it to the network, though. The truth is that the pilot was so good that it sparked a bidding war among multiple networks. McElhenney eventually decided on FX because of the creative freedom it provided. McElhenney required this leeway because his brand of humor is mainly based on the absurdist nature of television tropes.

One of the tropes McElhenney felt compelled to mock was the fact that in most TV shows, the actors begin to appear in better shape as the series progresses. To counteract this, McElhenney gained 50 pounds for the show's seventh season simply because he thought it would be hilarious. He altered his body again for comic purposes in Season 13 and dismissed the difficulty of achieving such severe physical changes, but fans shouldn't rule out the possibility that McElhenney was merely making another joke.

Chris Pratt grew up in a working-class Midwestern household and had a free spirit from a young age; when his high school wrestling coach asked what he wanted to do when he grew up, all he knew was that he'd become famous and wealthy. Pratt's path to the top, while ultimately successful, was not as straightforward as he probably would have imagined. For a time, he lived in a van and relied on odd jobs until he landed his first acting gig. But it was his role as Andy Dwyer, Aubrey Plaza's love interest in "Parks and Recreation," that made him a household name.

Pratt began his gradual transition into a movie star during this time, first appearing in Brad Pitt's "Moneyball," for which he was previously considered overweight for the part in which he auditioned. He then dropped weight for the role, and his performance was well appreciated, resulting in more work in serious films such as "Her" and "Zero Dark Thirty."

He undertook all of this while still appearing on "Parks and Recreation," and his physique was continuously transforming, but it wasn't until he landed the role of Star-Lord in "Guardians of the Galaxy" that he transformed his body into a whole other look, and audiences began to notice. Pratt's numerous body transformations did not go unnoticed by Hollywood media and he soon appeared on the covers of several magazines and developed into the bankable star that he is today.

As the son of two college professors, Paul Giamatti was practically destined to follow a path into academia. He attended the Yale School of Drama, where he studied alongside cult classic "Office Space" actor, Ron Livingston, and "Fight Club" star, Edward Norton. After graduating from the school, Giamatti began his career in supporting roles in the 1990s before breaking through as a leading actor in Alexander Payne's "Sideways." Giamatti moved to television after decades of various parts that established him as one of Hollywood's most dependable character actors, where he plays the lead in Showtime's smash drama, "Billions."

"Billions" premiered in 2016 and is still going strong, with the seventh season set to premiere in 2023. The pandemic and ensuing lockdown had a significant impact on the show, as it did on all series that were still airing in 2020. And Giamatti took advantage of the unexpected spare time in his schedule to work out and lose weight, resulting in a 15-pound weight loss. When "Billions" returned, Giamatti looked dramatically different.

Furthermore, when the lockdown began, "Billions" was in the middle of season 5, and the show's creators just continued from where they left off. The show quickly acknowledged Giamatti's new slimmed-down and shaven appearance, much to the confusion of some fans. However, it has since been suggested that the weight loss was motivated by a desire to live a healthier lifestyle.

Lisa Nicole Carson was once a rising star in Hollywood and it's quite easy to imagine just how differently her career could've gone. In the early 2000s, Carson was the star in two of the most successful shows of that era — "ER" and "Ally McBeal" — but it all went crumbling down one night at a New York hotel. On that unfortunate fateful evening, Carson had a mental breakdown so pronounced in the hotel that the staff called an ambulance for her.

Because of this incident, the press turned against her, and the tabloids had a field day. They were unaware of Carson's bipolar disorder, nor was the actress at the time. Of course, this was a different era, and mental health awareness and sensitivity were not where they are now. Carson was accused in the tabloids of using drugs and being difficult to work with. To add fuel to the fire, she was fired from both of the shows she was on.

Carson later described what happened in a 2020 piece for Essence Magazine and how she eventually got on medication. As is well known, bipolar disorder medication frequently causes weight gain, so when she returned to the show for the final episode, she had gained weight but appeared to be in better health.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Rob Reiner was born into Hollywood royalty; his mother was an actress and singer, and his father was an 11-time Emmy-winning all-around comedy icon best known for writing for "The Dick Van Dyke Show." Reiner followed in their footsteps and established a multifaceted career in Hollywood, where he was equally prolific behind as in front of the camera. But it's his portrayal of Michael "Meathead" Stivic in "All in The Family" that has won him the hearts of so many admirers.

The premise of "All in the Family" was pretty simple: each episode would focus on a family quarrel about a societal issue, and Michael's liberal perspective would frequently put him in conflict with his father-in-law. The show was successful in that it challenged many common misconceptions in American society at the time. Reiner was in his mid-20s when the show began, and by the conclusion, he was in his mid-30s. As individuals age, their metabolism slows down, and it's clear in the later seasons just how much Reiner's body has changed.

Child actors have a long and controversial history in television and many end up having strained relationships with the fame that brought them so much wealth; Angus T. Jones is no exception. He initially appeared in "Two and a Half Men" when he was 10 years old, and he was the perfect foil to Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen's icy relationship as brothers. Jones' timing and cadence were impeccable, and the audience couldn't get enough of the three, and the show quickly soared to become the most-watched show of its time.

Nevertheless, as Jones grew up, he started changing. Of course, Sheen's drama drew all of the media attention, but Jones had his own troubles with the show. He believed that the more mature narratives he began to receive were inappropriate because he wasn't yet an adult. The writers, however, must have seen how much his body had changed over the years and thought it suitable to give him such storylines. Jones finally quit the show due to creative disputes between the two parties.

The long-running nature of some shows ultimately lends itself to some performers radically altering their physique for various reasons during the show's run. However, "Two and a Half Men" was the rare instance in which the writers' attempts to adapt the plot to that transformation backfired.