Matthew McConaughey is opening up about how his body changed after he gained 47 pounds for Gold.
In a 2017 interview with Howard Stern that was recently re-uploaded to YouTube, the actor reflected on the dramatic physical transformation he underwent to portray prospector Kenny Wells in the 2016 film. When Stern asked whether the additional weight was more noticeable around his chest or stomach, McConaughey revealed that the weight gain actually started somewhere else.
“It starts in the ass,” he said.
Stern then noted that gaining that much weight would eventually affect McConaughey’s chest as well.
“Yeah, you do start getting some titties,” Stern said.
“Little man titties,” McConaughey agreed. “A little bit of that going on.”
The weight gain itself wasn’t particularly complicated. For six months, McConaughey essentially gave himself free rein to eat and drink whatever he wanted. Cheeseburgers and beer became regular parts of his diet, including at breakfast, while trips to the gym were nowhere on the agenda.
“I didn’t take the stairs to the second floor,” he recalled.
By the time production began, McConaughey said he had reached a “soft 217 pounds.”
The transformation involved more than simply putting on weight. McConaughey also shaved his head so he could wear a toupee and used veneers to complete Kenny Wells’ look. Director Stephen Gaghan decided against using a prosthetic stomach, allowing McConaughey’s real weight gain to become part of the character.
“I’m vain enough to put on the weight because that’s what the role needed,” McConaughey told Stern.
His family seemingly had fun watching the transformation unfold. As McConaughey relaxed his usual dietary restrictions and pizza nights became more common, his children started calling him “Captain Fun.”
The transformation was almost the complete opposite of what McConaughey had done just a few years earlier for Dallas Buyers Club. He lost more than 40 pounds for the 2013 film, a performance that ultimately earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
