7 Female Stars Who Got Superfit For Roles

Celebrities are famous for losing and gaining weight in the public eye. However, sometimes there is professional ambition behind their body transformations. Christian Bale, Tom Hanks, and Anne Hathaway’s drastic transformations for movie roles are some of the most talked about. However, there are other body makeovers that have gotten less, but equally deserved, recognition. Here are 7 stars who have transformed their bodies for roles.

1. Halle Berry: Bruised

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Sure, Halle Berry has been known as one of the fittest female celebrities for almost her entire career. But the Academy Award winner was determined to get “ripped abs” for her MMA movie Bruised. She went viral when she shared an Instagram snap of her six-pack with fans. According to the 56-year-old, she worked out a whopping four hours a day, doing high-intensity MMA-style cardio workouts, strength training, plyometric training, running, and boxing, and did intermittent fasting while on the keto diet.

2. Kate Bosworth: Blue Crush

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Kate Bosworth, a former model, had a lean figure when she booked her career-changing role in the 2002 film Blue Crush. However, she needed to transform her body into a surfer girl. "That was the most intense physical experience I have ever gone through," she said. She has since revealed that she spent seven hours a day training for the part, doing high-intensity cross-training. "[It] took four hours of surfing and an hour of weight training and an hour of either running the beach or running under the water with a rock."

3. Jennifer Lopez: Hustlers

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Jennifer Lopez upped her already intense training game for her role as a stripper in Hustlers. "It's rough on your body," Jennifer, who installed a pole in her home said, about training for the film in a YouTube vlog. She worked with choreographer and instructor Johanna Sapakie for six weeks, claiming it was one of the toughest training periods of her life.

4. Gal Gadot: Wonder Woman

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Not just anyone can play Wonder Woman, but Gal Gadot understood the assignment. The Israeli actress trained for six hours a day for six months to get in superhero shape for the role of her lifetime. "I did two hours gym work, two hours fight choreography, and two hours horseback riding. Which is super hard," she said during an appearance on Live With Kelly And Ryan.

5. Blake Lively: The Shallows

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While Blake Lively is known for having one of the best bodies in Hollywood and normally wouldn’t have to do much to get in shape for a role, even one that required her to be in a bikini nonstop, the timing of The Shallows was a little bit different: Filming started just months after welcoming her daughter, James. "I was working out 13 hours a day because shooting was working out," she told Entertainment Tonight. "It was neat to be able to do that, and it was neat to have that challenge after having a baby, because you think your body is so different—you think no matter what, it's never [going to be] totally be the same. I thought, 'That's really encouraging.'" She trained with Don Saladino and made some serious dietary changing, eliminating soy and gluten. "It's all in moderation," she explained People. "You just have a balance of protein, carbs, and vegetables. And it wasn't the worst. Like, I was eating rice and sushi."

6. Hilary Swank: Million Dollar Baby

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Hilary Swank worked hard to gain 19 pounds of muscle and transform into a boxer for Million Dollar Baby. According to the star, she spent 2.5 hours of boxing and 2 hours of weightlifting every day, six days a week for three months. She would also have to wake up in the middle of the night to consume protein in order to sustain the workouts. "There was a point where I could only eat 50 grams of carbs a day," she said. "Just to give you an example of that, an 8-ounce glass of apple juice has 30 grams of carbs in it." The hard work paid off: She won an Oscar for the role.

7. Brie Larson: Captain Marvel

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Brie Larson got famously fit to play Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel. She trained with Jason Walsh, who put her through rigorous workouts lifting heavy weights, rock climbing, doing mixed martial arts, and boxing. She even got so strong she was able to push a "5,000 [pound] Jeep (with a full tank of gas)" for 60 seconds.

Staying fit and healthy in your 50s is obviously a different challenge to wellness in your 20s—if anything, it’s even more important to make the effort. “You don’t realize how important our nutrition is and how it affects our bodies. It’s fuel. But I also think we need a balance, you know? We have to be able to have our indulgences and things that we love while practicing the 80/20 rule,” says Jennifer Aniston. So what’s the secret to maintaining health and wellness after 50? Here’s why Halle Berry, Keanu Reeves, and Nicole Kidman are thriving as they get older.

1. Halle Berry

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Halle Berry, 56, intermittent fasts and uses weights for her workouts. “Wherever I am, I just try to find the foods I've become accustomed to eating, and I've been a pretty healthy eater for many, many years because of my diabetes,” she says. “And now that's become second nature to me. I fast until 2 p.m.—I usually eat between the hours of 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and then I'm done for the day, which is the same when I'm traveling or working. I also have so many things now that I can take with me as far as working out when I travel, all sorts of bands and light weights that are easy to pack and use when I don't have access to a gym. So much of my favorite kinds of exercise can be done in the house or in a hotel room.”

2. Salma Hayek

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Salma Hayek, 56, calls walking her dogs her version of exercise. She also likes the occasional juice fast. "When I feel stressed, I turn to food for comfort," she says. "After doing a juice cleanse, I'm motivated to eat healthier and not emotionally. Cleansing is like my meditation. It makes me stop, focus and think about what I'm putting into my body. I'm making a commitment to my health and hitting the reset button."

3. Viola Davis

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Viola Davis, 57, loved her training regimen for The Woman King. "When I was a girl wanting to win the Miss Central Falls Recreation Contest — wanting to look good in a bikini, wanting to be thin and cute and delicate and pretty — I just wanted to be willowy and thin,” she says. “I was always muscular and thicker, and I felt like my femininity could not be created with this canvas. And then all of a sudden, with this role, my muscles, my arms, my thick legs, my heavy voice were perfect. I felt unapologetic about it. I celebrated it physically in every way. Sometimes you do a movie and then it's over. And sometimes, you do a movie and it shifts you a little bit. You're a little bit better for it. And that's what it's been like for me with the training."

4. Keanu Reeves

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Keanu Reeves, 58, has an incredible work ethic when it comes to his exercise and training. “Keanu’s grit and stamina are astounding to witness," says personal trainer Patrick Murphy. “I would meet Keanu daily after his stunt training. We’d even train on weekends, for an hour each time. The exercises I prescribed influenced posture and alignment, and stabilization. KR possesses a serious commitment to ice baths, which I’m all for as well. One of the best recovery practices to do after all of the ground and pound stunt training is an ice bath.”

5. Michelle Pfeiffer

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Michelle Pfeiffer, 65, does Pilates and yoga, and follows a vegan diet. "I love the vegan diet because I love carbs," she says. "Eating this kind of food is much healthier, and you avoid a lot of toxins that could age your skin and body. I noticed a difference in my skin not long after I became a vegan."

6. Nicole Kidman

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Nicole Kidman, 56, follows the 80/20 rule when it comes to her diet. "I go out on the tour bus [with husband Keith Urban],” she says. “There's a lot of junk food on the bus ... I'm just not someone that believes in denial. It's walking a path that's ultimately 80% healthy, 20%… sometimes it falls to 70. But that's why I think you have things like natural health remedies — you find out what works for you. And I do a lot and I have a lot of energy."

7. Elle Macpherson

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Elle Macpherson, 59, follows a mostly vegan diet. “Although I prefer a raw vegan diet, if I’m craving something hot, I’ll have a poached egg on sunflower or wheat-free dark rye bread, raw oatmeal with agave or a raw chia pudding soaked in almond milk,” she says. “I’m vegan at the moment, so I make veggie wraps—otherwise, it’s veggie pizza or vegetable pasta with pesto. When I feel like having something sweet, I’ll have my favorite dark chocolate or vegan ice cream—sometimes both!”

8. Sophia Loren

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Sophia Loren, 88, credits walking for good health and energy. “A little exercise is good. But I walk, walk, walk, walk!” she says. “I walk an hour every day. That’s very good for your heart. Physical exercise makes you more graceful. Walk as if the whole street is yours. Relax a little bit, read, look at the sunset—you know, things that please you.”

9. Laura Dern

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Laura Dern, 56, exercises with her family. “I am realizing that as a mother and a daughter, self-care is a requirement in my day if I'm going to stay healthy enough to be the sole provider as an only child for my parents. If I can wake up and meditate before I grab my phone, that really helps me be centered for everyone else throughout the day,” she says. We make sure to have the time in the day to walk our dogs and get fresh air, we make tea, take (online) yoga classes, and we're learning to knit together.”

10. Cate Blanchett

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Cate Blanchett, 54, is a big fan of Pilates and at-home cardio. “I really like Pilates,” she says. “I feel like it’s made for actors’ bodies. For me, I need to do it one-on-one. I find that when you go into a big class, you actually need a guiding hand. At home we have an elliptical trainer, which is good because that’s often the only exercise I get. But my job is very active — I end up stretching each day before I go on, so I feel very taken care of in that way.”

11. Jennifer Aniston

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Jennifer Aniston, 54, has learned to genuinely love healthy food. “Well, what we put in our bodies is important,” she says. “I used to eat mindlessly, and I never used to read packages or gave a hoot about what I was putting in [my body]. I’m much more mindful about what I eat and conscious of my ingredients. I try to practice balance by eating a proper amount of protein, vegetables, and water and exercising. Meditation, for me, is really important. If I were to skip my daily practice or miss a few days, I would notice a difference in my day—it’s not something you can ever put your finger on, but I see a difference.”