Vincent DโOnofrioโs is probably best remembered for his iconic role as the chubby, inept Marine recruit in Stanley Kubrickโsย Full Metal Jacket.
But after that, his popularity took a dive.
The ruggedlyย handsome actor, who turned 64 on June 30, 2023, said the role required a dramatic physical transformation,
which resulted in him repelling the women who once swooned over his curly dark hair and athletic build.
Vincent DโOnofrioโs rรฉsumรฉ is as lengthy as it is diverse.
He always puts 200% into every part, and he is always able to become the character to the point you forget who he is.
The Brooklyn-born actor got his start in stage productions, some off-Broadway others on, and held numerous side hustles, like being a bodyguard to Yul Brynnerย and Robert Plant, to support his dreams of being an actor.
In his early days, he earned himself a living as a nightclub bouncer, delivering flowers, hanging drapes and driving a cab.
But after appearing in a couple of low-budget films, DโOnofrioโs friend, actor Matthew Modine, urged him to send an audition tape to Stanley Kubrick, who at the time was casting for his next big hit.
The 6-foot-3 DโOnofrio, who was incredibly fit, won the role of the fat, dim-witted Leonard, but it came with a few conditions.
Working with Kubrick was a transformative experience for DโOnofrio, as it allowed him to immerse himself deeply in his character and explore his acting abilities in a challenging and intense environment.
The father of three, now 64, had to shave his gorgeous full head of hair, and gain 70 to 80 pounds, which to this date is theย most weightย gained by any actor for a role.
โ[Kubrick] asked me early on would I be all right with gaining this weight and I went over there and gained about 30 pounds, and I remember him seeing it and saying that I only look like I could kick everybodyโs a**. He thought some more weight would be needed.โ Speaking of the role he played when he was 24, DโOnofrio continued, โI think it went up to 80 poundsโฆfrom 200 to 280.โ
Gaining the weight was not an easy task for DโOnofrio, who was then faced with the gruelling demands of the movieโs boot-camp scenes.
Obstacle courses would have been easy with his athletic build but it was particularly taxing for someone weighing in at 280 pounds.
DโOnofrioโs impressive portrayal of the chubby, dumb and mentally disturbed Leonard earned him a lot of praise from critics but he also had to deal with fans who mistook the actor for the character.
โPeople treat you differently when youโre that size you gotta remember my head was shaved so it was like a completely different persona from me being this long lanky actor to a big burly guy with a bald headโฆit was a very strange life change.โ Theย Broken Horsesย star continued, โIt changed my life. Women didnโt look at me, most of the time I was looking at their backs as they were running away. People used to say things to me twice, because they thought I was stupid.โ

One year later, theย Magnificent Sevenย star had a full head of hair and his body was back to his earlier size.
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