‘I really believe everyone has a snapshot of themselves from a time that they were young that they’re ashamed of.
‘For me that it’s that 14-year-old overweight, unattractive kid who felt ugly to the world, who listened to hip hop and wanted so badly to be accepted by this community of skaters.’
These are the words Jonah Hill wrote about himself in his magazine Inner Child back in 2018 as he grappled with his identity in a candid admission.
The star explained he grew up with people calling him ‘fat and gross and unattractive’ leading him to a complicated relationship with his body image.
After reportedly weighing 280 pounds at his heaviest, the 21 Jump Street star’s weight has fluctuated over the years after he originally kickstarted his weight loss back in 2011.
And this week the star shocked fans after he was seen cutting a much slimmer figure while filming his upcoming comedy movie.
But how as the actor’s stature fluctuated over the years and what are his slimmed down secrets?
It was Brad Pitt who first spurred Jonah to change his lifestyle for the better after the pair starred together in Moneyball.
After reportedly weighing 280 pounds at his heaviest, Jonah Hill’s weight has fluctuated over the years after he originally kickstarted his weight loss back in 2011 (pictured in Superbad in 2007 when he was 23)
This week the star shocked fans after he was seen cutting a much slimmer figure while filming his upcoming comedy movie
Jonah went on to lose 40 pounds after speaking to a nutritionist and adjusting his diet.
He told ABC News in 2012: ‘I wish there was some crazy thing I did, like a pill or a genie, but I went to see a nutritionist, and he told me what to eat to change my habits. I found that Japanese food was very helpful to me.’
The star also started running to ease himself into exercise. Appearing on Kidd Kraddick radio show he said he ‘started physically running instead of emotionally running’ as well as doing push ups.
After beginning with just 10 push ups a day he eventually worked his way up to 100 reps per day.
The star admitted he struggled to cut out beer, confessing a pint is his ‘Achilles heel’.
On an episode of the Kyle and Jackie O radio show he explained: ‘I still drink beer—that’s my Achilles heel.
‘It’s so annoying because if I don’t drink beer, I get really thin. And when I drink beer, I get a little bigger.’
Jonah has also been vocal about how his weight was linked to his identity as a comedic actor but how important it was for his career and health to not be so big.
The star explained he grew up with people calling him ‘fat and gross and unattractive’ leading him to a complicated relationship with his body image (pictured in 2015)
Jonah lost 40 pounds in 2011 after speaking to a nutritionist and embracing Japanese food as part of his diet (pictured in December 2011)
However, in 2016 the actor gained the weight back to play arms dealer Efraim Diveroli in War Dogs alongside Bradley Cooper and Miles Teller (pictured)
He told Vulture in 2011, just after his Moneyball weight loss: ‘Being healthier came along with maturity and it’s hard, because a lot of times people want you to be the guy you were when they met you.
‘And I love doing funny movies, but I want to mature, literally, in how I treat myself. I’m not living in a frat house with a bong plastered to the table.
‘But all this stuff [points to his body] is just part of maturing in body and in mind.
‘I just want to be a good man and to make my family proud. And, you know, I want to live a long time.’
However, in 2016 the actor gained the weight back to play arms dealer Efraim Diveroli in War Dogs alongside Bradley Cooper and Miles Teller.
Once the film was released, Jonah turned to pal Channing Tatum to ask how best to shed the weight one again.
Speaking candidly on the Tonight Show he told Jimmy Fallon a year later: ‘I wanted to get in better shape, so I called Channing Tatum and said, “Hey, if I eat less and go to a trainer, will I get in good shape?”
‘[He said] ‘Yes, you dumb mother****er, of course you will. It’s the simplest thing in the entire world”.’
Jonah then began boxing to stay in shape after he was seen in snaps jabbing and shadow boxing with a personal trainer.
Back in 2021, Jonah spoke up about body positivity and struggling with his body image over the years in a now deleted post.
‘I don’t think I ever took my shirt off in a pool until I was in my mid 30s even in front of family and friends,’ he wrote on Instagram.
‘Probably would have happened sooner if my childhood insecurities weren’t exacerbated by years of public mockery about my body by press and interviewers.’
He continued: ‘I’m 37 and finally love and accept myself.’
The star went on to say his message was for ‘the kids who don’t take their shirt off at the pool.’
‘Have fun. You’re wonderful and awesome and perfect. All my love,’ he concluded.
Once the film was released, Jonah turned to pal Channing Tatum to ask how best to shed the weight one again (pictured with Channing in 21 Jump Street in 2012)
Jonah began boxing to stay in shape in 2017 after he was seen in snaps jabbing and shadow boxing with a personal trainer
In 2023 the star discussed his fluctuating weight with his therapist Phil Stutz for his second feature directorial effort, the Netflix documentary Stutz.
‘When I was a kid, exercise and diet was framed to me as like, “There’s something wrong with how you look,”‘ the Winning Time director recalled.
‘But never once was exercise and diet propositioned to me in terms of mental health. I just wish that was presented to people differently.’
Jonah admitted growing up overweight ‘intensely f***ed me up,’ and inside he still feels like ‘a 14-year-old boy who’s very overweight and has acne and feels very undesirable to the world.’
‘Inherently, at my core, I’m still this unlovable person,’ he explained.
‘But the work is inching toward [realising] that it’s great to be this person. But that’s still very hard.’
Jonah has also talked openly about his mental health, after he revealed in a statement to Deadline in 2022 that he would not be promoting the film, or any of his upcoming movies after realising that public appearances were ‘exacerbating’ his mental health issues.
In 2021, Jonah spoke up about struggling as he admitted: ‘I don’t think I ever took my shirt off in a pool until I was in my mid 30s even in front of family and friends’ (pictured in 2021)
In 2023 the star discussed his fluctuating weight, he said ‘When I was a kid, exercise and diet was framed to me as like, “There’s something wrong with how you look,”‘ (pictured in 2024)
‘The whole purpose of making this film is to give therapy and the tools I’ve learned in therapy to a wide audience for private use through an entertaining film,’ he explained.
‘Through this journey of self-discovery within the film, I have come to the understanding that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, which are exacerbated by media appearances and public facing events.
‘I can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world in the hope that it will help those struggling, however, you won’t see me out there promoting this film, or any of my upcoming films, while I take this important step to protect myself.
‘If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film.’
