John Goodman: ‘I Wanted To Live Life Better’
John Goodman surprised many when he appeared 100 pounds lighter at the London premiere of movie Trumbo. John Goodman has always been a heavier person and his weight has fluctuated over the decades. But what makes this latest weight loss so amazing is that it was achieved in less than a year.
John Goodman is perhaps best known for playing Roseanne Barr’s onscreen husband Dan Conner on Roseanne from 1988 to 1997. While on the show his weight was written into numerous storylines, including his final one of dying from a heart attack. John Goodman’s performance in Roseanne was a critical hit, winning him a Golden Globe Best Actor award in 1993.
John Goodman has also appeared in many notable films. He was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor for Barton Fink (1991) and played a role in cult favorite The Big Lebowski (1998). Highlighting his adeptness at choosing the right picture, John Goodman was nominated for back-to-back Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for The Artist (2011) and Argo (2012).
In addition to his TV and film acting career, John Goodman has also found success with voice acting. He voiced the character of Sully in Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Monsters University (2013).
When John Goodman appeared on the red carpet this past week, many people wanted to know just how he had lost the weight. According to People, John Goodman began by making healthier lifestyle choices. Three years ago, he quit drinking and cut sugar from his diet. In an effort to be more active, John Goodman hired health coach Mackie Shilstone, who has trained many athletes.
John Goodman said of his new exercise regimen where he works out six days a week, “I’m breaking a sweat but I’m not going nuts.”
What made John Goodman change his lifestyle? According to the actor, it was a realization that his life was starting to revolve around food, and not in a good way.
“I know it sounds sappy, but it was a waste. It takes a lot of creative energy to sit on your a** and figure out what you’re going to eat next… I wanted to live life better.”
While John Goodman’s weight loss is to be commended, it is not the first time that the actor has lost a dramatic amount of weight. According to the Huffington Post, John Goodman weighed 400 pounds at his heaviest. Since the beginning of his career, John Goodman’s weight would fluctuate dramatically between roles.
“I’d get off of Roseanne every spring. I’d lose 60 pounds every spring. Then I got too fond of the barleycorn. I’d gain it back and then some, every year. It’s going to be an ongoing process for the rest of my life.”
While John Goodman is lighter in weight while promoting his movie Trumbo, he was certainly heavier while filming it. But John Goodman’s acting has proven that it can transcend any number that appears on a scale. Trumbo is based on the real-life story of Dalton Trumbo, played by Bryan Cranston, who was blacklisted for communist sympathizing in the 1940s. The movie also stars Helen Mirren as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper and Diane Lane and Elle Fanning as Trumbo’s wife and daughter, respectively.
While both Trumbo and John Goodman’s new figure debuted in London, the film has its American premiere on November 6, 2015. It is already being praised by critics with its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation.
With the release of Trumbo, John Goodman has proven, yet again, that when it comes to his acting, size does not matter.
[Images by Valerie Macon & John Phillips/Getty Images]
