1. Michael B. Jordan  – Creed

Michael B. Jordan stars in Creed as the son of legendary boxer Apollo Creed, and the powerful first trailer reveals him to be a mighty contender for some kind of crown. Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Sylvester Stallone (as boxer-turned-trainer Rocky Balboa) also star; Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Jordan’s breakout role) directs. The movie will smash into theaters on November 25.

Type of transformation: weight loss
Weight loss: approximately 184 lbs
Role: Adonis Creed

2. Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club

One of the most famous actor body transformations comes to us from Matthew McConaughey, who shed over 40 lbs when preparing for the role of AIDS victim Ron Woodroof. Four months before shooting began, McConaughey consulted with a nutritionist and proceeded “in as healthy a way as I found possible” (to quote him directly), eating “programmed meals” and dropping 3.5 lbs per week. The actor’s weight loss and subsequent performance enraptured critics and audiences alike, earning him a slew of major awards while basically rebooting his career.

Type of transformation: weight loss
Weight loss: 40lbs (18kg)
Role: Ron Woodroof

3. Christian Bale – The Machinist

Speaking of insane actor weight loss, Christian Bale went down to skin-and-bones for this 2004 thriller. He plays insomniac Trevor Reznik, a machinist whose mental deterioration is mirrored by his physical one. Bale reportedly ate one can of tuna fish and one apple per day over the course of four months, dropping from 173 lbs to 110 lbs. He drank only coffee and water and paired his low-calorie intake with some intense cardio and resistance workouts.
Year of release: 2004
Type of transformation: weight loss
Weight loss: 63bs (28kg)
Role: Trevor Reznik

4. Chris Hemsworth – Thor

As hard as it may be to imagine, Chris Hemsworth was once kind of a scrawny dude. That all changed when he landed the role of Thor, hammer-wielding fixture of the MCU. In preparation for the first film, Hemsworth hired former Navy SEAL Duffy Gaver as a personal trainer. According to Gaver, the actor bulked and shredded by way of “red meat, heavyweights, and some protein powder.” Hemsworth has been a pillar of physical prowess ever since.
Year of release: 2011
Type of transformation: weight and muscle gain
Role: Thor

5. Chris Pratt – Guardians of the Galaxy

Best known at the time as Andy Dwyer in “Parks and Rec,” Chris Pratt reinvented his body and career alike in this surprise smash. With help from personal trainer Duffy Gaver and nutritionist Phil Goglia, the actor dropped 60 lbs in approximately six months, simultaneously bolstering his muscular profile.
Year of release: 2014
Type of transformation: weight loss/muscle gain
Weight loss: 60lbs (27kg)
Role: Peter Quill aka Star-Lord

6. Jake Gyllenhaal – Southpaw

People couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw early stills from this sports drama, in which a shredded Jake Gyllenhaal plays boxer Billy Hope. When training for the role, Gyllenhaal practised a truly dedicated fitness routine, working out for as much as six hours per day for six months straight. The result was 15 lbs of extra muscle and one of the most impressive actor body transformations in recent memory.
Year of release: 2015
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Role: Billy Hope

7. 50 Cent – All Things Fall Apart

No stranger to film and TV, rapper 50 Cent went from 214 lbs down to 160 lbs for this sombre sports drama. He portrays college football player Deon, who pursues his athletic dreams in spite of a cancer diagnosis. Mr. Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) went on a liquid diet and performed extreme treadmill workouts to drop nearly 60 lbs in about nine weeks.
Year of release: 2011
Type of transformation: weight loss
Weight loss: 60lbs (27kg)
Role: Deon

8. Zac Efron – Baywatch

The star of “High School Musical” was all grown up by the time he appeared in this poorly received comedy, a tongue-in-cheek update to the campy TV series. Personal trainer Patrick Murphy honed Efron’s already fit physique through a strict diet program and series of high-intensity workouts. As crappy as the film may be, have you seen those abs?!
Year of release: 2017
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Role: Matt Brody

9. Chris Evans – Captain America

Let’s make one thing clear off the bat: Chris Evans did not scale himself down to size to play “skinny” Steve Rogers in the first Captain America film—that was a mix of body doubles and CGI. The actor did, however, beef himself up for the role in the original outing and the sequels that followed.
Year of release: 2011
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Role: Steve Rogers aka Captain America

10. Tom Hardy – The Dark Knight Rises

Already an imposing presence, Tom Hardy reportedly added 30 lbs of mass when tackling the role of supervillain Bane. It just goes to show that if you’re going to break Batman’s back, you best make it look believable!
Year of release: 2012
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Weight gain: 30lbs (13kg)
Role: Bane

11. Ryan Reynolds – Blade: Trinity

Ryan Reynolds was coming off of films like “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and “Van Wilder” when he co-starred in this vampire action flick. The role prompted serious lifestyle changes and also pushed the actor past his perceived limits. Not only did he pack in 25 pounds of serious muscle, but he also ran the New York City marathon and climbed Machu Pichu (elevation 8,000 feet).
Year of release: 2004
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Weight gain: 25lbs (11kg)
Role: Hannibal King

12. Kumail Nanjiani – Eternals

Proving once again that MCU instalments are synonymous with actor body transformations, comedy icon Kumail Nanjiani recently sculpted himself into a man of steel. No, not that man of steel, rather an egomaniacal alien named Kingo Sunen. As one might expect, the 41-year-old actor and self-proclaimed comic book fanatic spent serious time at the gym, overcoming a number of hurdles on his way to a dedicated fitness regimen.
Year of release: 2021
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Role: Kingo Sunen

13. Gerard Butler – 300

Baring an angry temperament and washboard abs, Gerard Butler burst onto the mainstream when he starred in this action-packed epic. His brutal workout regime was fit for a Spartan and it involved tons of strength-building exercises, with little to no rest between sets.
Year of release: 2006
Type of transformation: muscle gain
Role: King Leonidas