Key Points

Orlando Bloom opened up about his extreme 52-pound weight loss journey for his role in 'The Cut'. He revealed he survived on nothing but tuna and cucumber during the final three weeks of preparation. The actor experienced severe mental health impacts including exhaustion, paranoia, and intrusive thoughts. Bloom emphasized that while he pushed through for the role, he doesn't recommend such extreme measures to anyone.

Key Points: Orlando Bloom Reveals 52-Pound Weight Loss Mental Health Toll

  • Survived on only tuna and cucumber for three weeks
  • Experienced exhaustion and no mental energy
  • Battled paranoia and intrusive thoughts
  • Had to lie down between takes on set
3 min read

I was a horrible person to be around: Orlando Bloom recalls his 52-pound weight loss journey, its impact on his mental health

Orlando Bloom details extreme 52-pound weight loss for 'The Cut' role, surviving on tuna and cucumber while battling exhaustion and intrusive thoughts.

"I was a horrible person to be around. - Orlando Bloom"

Washington DC, August 29

Actor Orlando Bloom shared how his weight loss transformation for a role heavily impacted his mental health, reported People.

He talked about losing 52 pounds for his role as a retired boxer in 'The Cut'. He shared on the recent episode of 'This Morning' that he was only eating tuna and cucumber in the lead-up to the film's production.

"I was just exhausted," he said, noting that he had "no energy or brain power, " according to People.

"Just mentally, physically, I was hangry," he continued. "I was a horrible person to be around."

Bloom said he worked with nutritionist Philip Goglia, the same nutritionist Christian Bale used, and Goglia advised Bloom to reduce his meals from three to two.

"Suddenly, all these foods were being taken away from me, and my protein powder was the last one," he added. "I was like, 'No! Don't take that one.' Then basically I came down to [eating] just tuna and cucumber for the last three weeks."

He explained that because his mental health was impacted, he also suffered from "paranoia" and "intrusive thoughts," reported People.

Bloom also said that Goglia would regularly check his blood. "We're supposed to eat and sleep and take care of ourselves," he continued. "It's really a commentary on the lengths a person will go to have that second shot. I think that's so relatable."

He noted that while athletes are known to cut weight "on the regular," actors tend to "take it to the extreme" in the short period before they star in the role.

During the shoot, he shared that he did all to do justice to his role, Bloom said, recalling that he would be "lying down in between takes on set," and then get up to do push-ups "to look a little bit bulkier."

Although he was able to push through the "intense" diet, he doesn't "recommend" it to "anyone at home."

He shared previously that he was "excited by the challenge" of transforming himself for the role. He confessed that his lack of sleep caused such a mental toll on him, adding, "Turns out you can't sleep when you're hungry!, as per the outlet.

In the upcoming film, Bloom stars as an ex-boxer who suffered a defeat that ended his career in the ring. Then, when he "trains for redemption," a synopsis teases, an "obsession takes hold and reality unravels -- and he may be spiralling into something far more terrifying," reported People.

'The Cut' is in theatres on September 5.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Mental health should never be compromised for any role. Our Bollywood actors also do extreme transformations but I hope they're getting proper medical supervision. Health comes first always!
A
Ananya R
️52 pounds is insane weight loss! I can't imagine how weak he must have felt. This shows how much pressure actors face to look a certain way for roles. Respect for his honesty about the mental health impact.
M
Michael C
While I appreciate the dedication, this seems dangerously extreme. Nutritionists should know better than recommending such restrictive diets. There has to be a healthier way to achieve these transformations.
S
Siddharth J
This reminds me of Aamir Khan's transformations for Dangal and Ghajini. Indian actors also go through similar extremes. The film industry needs better guidelines for actor safety.
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Nisha Z
"Turns out you can't sleep when you're hungry" - so true! Been there during fasting days. But doing this for weeks? That's another level of dedication. Hope the movie is worth all this struggle!

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