In the realm of cinema, Robert De Niro stands as a titan, a master of his craft who has captivated audiences for decades with his transformative performances. But beyond his undeniable acting prowess, De Niro has also earned a reputation as a king of body transformation, meticulously molding his physique to fit the demands of each character he portrays.
De Niro once gave Matt Damon a friendly warning when he took Robert De Niro’s advice to gain weight for his new film The Informant. Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant (2009) required Damon to embody the character of Mark Whitacre, an executive turned whistleblower. To authentically portray Whitacre’s physical and psychological journey, Damon faced the challenge of gaining a substantial amount of weight.
Matt Damon Took Robert De Niro’s Advice on Physical Transformation for The Informant
Matt Damon sought the guidance of seasoned actor Robert De Niro to gain weight authentically for his role in The Informant. De Niro, renowned for his own remarkable physical transformations, offered valuable advice to help Damon achieve the desired weight gain.
De Niro, who famously packed on 60 lbs for his portrayal of boxer Jake La Motta in Raging Bull, counseled Damon on the challenges and benefits of weight gain. Talking about the friendly warning by De Niro, Damon said to UPI:
“And he said, ‘Well, the first 15 pounds are really fun and then you have to go to work after that.’ And it was true, almost, because I found 30 pounds really fun and then, towards the end, I was like, ‘I should get rid of this weight.’ But I wasn’t really that excited about getting rid of it.”
Despite the challenges, Damon persevered, gaining a total of 30 lbs for the role. Under De Niro’s guidance, Damon successfully transformed his physique to embody the character of Mark Whitacre.
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Christian Bale’s Praise for Robert De Niro
Christian Bale who is also known for his willingness to undergo dramatic physical transformations for his roles has gained and lost weight, bulked up and slimmed down, all in the pursuit of embodying his characters to the fullest extent.
Bale got some nice words to say about Robert De Niro’s body transformation. In an interview with The Wrap, The Machinist actor acknowledged that Robert De Niro does this better.
While talking about physical transformation, Bale admitted, “They go back much further than me. This man right here set the bar,” indicating De Niro. Robert De Niro’s most celebrated body transformation occurred when he portrayed boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull (1980).
Raging Bull is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, and Robert De Niro’s performance, including his physical transformation, is a significant part of its acclaim.
The role earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor – his second Oscar, following his Best Supporting Actor win for The Godfather Part II.
Watch The Informant on Prime Video.
