Before achieving global success with hits like ‘Inglourious Basterds‘ and ‘X-Men: First Class,’ Michael Fassbender delivered a searing performance in ‘Hunger‘ (2008), which marked his breakthrough in Hollywood. To play the Irish republican hunger striker, Bobby Sands, the actor put himself through a physically challenging experience that included losing about 42 pounds.
This demanding experience left a permanent mark on the actor and altered his approach to method acting. It ultimately prompted Fassbender to make a strict vow: he would never sacrifice his health for a movie role again.
Michael Fassbender Underwent A Cruel Transformation
When Michael Fassbender agreed to play Bobby Sands in ‘Hunger,’ he knew that this part would be challenging for many reasons. Unlike most actors who rely on makeup and special effects to alter appearance, Fassbender opted for a genuine body transformation.
Related: The 25 Best Thriller Movies of the 1990s
His goal was to depict his character’s physical deterioration during the final days of the 1981 hunger strike as accurately as possible. To attain this, he lost approximately 42 pounds (19 kg), going from 169 pounds (77 kg) to 127 pounds (58 kg).
For safety reasons, Fassbender undertook this risky challenge with proper medical assistance and started reducing the amount of food consumed each day to about 600 calories. In this way, he accurately mirrored Bobby Sands’ grave condition.
Meanwhile, director Steve McQueen emphasized that the transformation was never intended to draw attention to the film or its central character. On the contrary, the actual goal was to shed light on Sands’ ordeal.
Fortunately, the grueling transformation paid off, as ‘Hunger’ earned widespread critical acclaim and propelled Michael Fassbender to international recognition. It also paved the way for high-production projects in the coming years.
Fassbender’s Preparation Came With A High Cost
Despite all the plaudits Fassbender received for ‘Hunger,’ he never glorified the harsh physical preparation for the role. While weighing in on this experience later, he admitted that it caused serious strain due to the extremely restrictive diet for which he was constantly under the supervision of medical professionals.
In Case You Missed It: 10 Best Small-Town Thriller Movies
Simple actions became too tiring as he grew increasingly weak, making the process both mentally and physically exhausting. While he understood the necessity of the transformation, Fassbender clearly saw how dangerous it was for his health.
When speaking about the role now, he says that he has no intention of ever going through anything like that again, stating, “I wouldn’t do that to my body again.” It didn’t mean the actor stopped fully dedicating himself to his next performances.
On the contrary, he is now aware of the boundaries of his physical abilities after the demanding experience. Since ‘Hunger,’ Michael Fassbender has taken many challenging parts, but none of them involved transforming his body in the same way. That’s a hard line he’s drawn for himself as an artist who’s conscious of his mental and physical health.
You Might Also Like To Read: The 1988 Movie With A Shocking Giant Floating Hand That Will Totally Break Your Heart
