Actress Charlize Theron is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of her craft, even when it comes to physically transforming herself for a role. In a candid interview, the 42-year-old Oscar-winning star revealed the unexpected mental health challenges she faced while gaining weight for her role in Tully. This film, which showcases her as a modern-day mom of three, led her into uncharted emotional territory.
“For this film, I gained nearly 50 pounds. I wanted to deeply connect with the character, to truly feel what she was experiencing. I thought that by stepping into her shoes physically, I could better understand her mindset. But what I didn’t anticipate was how profoundly it would affect my mental well-being. For the first time in my life, I found myself battling depression. It was a shock to me. My diet became overrun with processed foods and excessive sugar, and let’s just say, I wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around on set,” Charlize confessed in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Charlize in Tully.
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Transforming Physically for the Role
Charlize explained that she had a tight timeline of about three months to gain the weight necessary to portray an overworked and exhausted mother in Tully. The initial stages were enjoyable, much like a child in a candy store. “The first three weeks were delightful. I indulged in breakfasts at In-N-Out, enjoyed two milkshakes, and it was a blast. But then reality set in. After the initial excitement wore off, maintaining that weight became a chore. I had to set alarms in the middle of the night just to keep up the weight gain. It was no longer fun; it was work,” she shared.
“There were nights where I’d wake up at two in the morning with a cup of cold macaroni and cheese right beside me. I’d eat it almost unconsciously, just shoving it down my throat. It was a constant battle to maintain that weight, and it wasn’t easy,” Charlize continued.
Charlize in Tully.
Family Reactions to Her Transformation
Interestingly, Charlize’s own children, six-year-old Jackson and two-year-old August, had their own theories about their mother's weight gain. “My youngest was absolutely convinced I was pregnant. It was funny because I had a similar moment with my older child. One day, they looked at me and said, ‘Mom, what happened to your body?’ It was a bit too real for me, and I shared this with director Jason Reitman. To this day, my kids still refer to this movie as the one where mommy had a big belly,” she laughed.
After wrapping up filming on Tully, Charlize admitted it took more than a year to shed the weight she had gained. “It wasn’t an easy journey. It took about a year and a half, and it was a long and challenging process. I had press events and other movie promotions during that time, and no one knew I had gained the weight for this film. Initially, everyone thought I was wearing prosthetics in the photos,” she recalled.
