Charlize Theron has had fans reminiscing over some of her most intense roles from her career, after she confessed that she would never gain (or lose) weight like she has done in the past for some of them.
Speaking with Allure Magazine, she explained that at 48, she finds her metabolism can't handle sudden weight fluctuations like it used to, telling the outlet: "I will never, ever do a movie again and say, 'Yeah, I'll gain 40 pounds,'" adding: "I will never do it again because you can't take it off."
Below, revisit some of the actress' most unrecognizable transformations, including for Monster (2003) and Tully (2018), which she references in the new interview.
Monster
In Monster, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins' directorial debut, Charlize starred as real life serial killer and prostitute Aileen Wuornos.
"When I was 27, I did Monster. I lost 30 pounds, like, overnight. I missed three meals and I was back to my normal weight," she told Allure.
© AlamyTully
15 years later Charlize starred as Marlo Moreau, a suburban mom about to give birth to her third child who forms a close bond with her nighttime nanny Tully.
© AlamyHer weight gain for the role was far different than her weight loss for Monster – she was then 43 – and she said: "I remember a year into trying to lose the weight, I called my doctor and I said, 'I think I'm dying because I cannot lose this weight.' And he was like, 'You're over 40. Calm down. Your metabolism is not what it was.' Nobody wants to hear that."
Charlize also noted that it's not just the weight gains or losses taking a different toll on her body now, but also the injuries she might incur from strenuous action roles.
MORE: Charlize Theron and her two daughters' personal life in rare photos as she turns 48
She explained: "The thing that really bums me out is that I make action movies now and if I hurt myself, I take way longer to heal than I did in my 20s. More than my face, I wish I had my 25-year-old body that I can just throw against the wall and not even hurt tomorrow. Now, if I don't work out for three days and I go back to the gym, I can't walk. I can't sit down on the toilet."
Keep scrolling for more of Charlize's transformations for movie roles.
© AlamyFor Mad Max: Fury Road, which premiered in 2015, she fully shaved her head and was unrecognizable covered in carbon and dirt for her role as Imperator Furiosa in the apocalyptic action movie.
© AlamyMORE: Charlize Theron, Milla Jovovich and more help celebrity hairstylist with near-fatal tumor
Most recently, Charlize abandoned her usual sleek, platinum blonde bob (which she occasionally also dyes brunette) for a totally different look: an ultra curly, teased out bob dyed to a deep red brick color, in 2022's The School for Good and Evil.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
