Women ran from Vincent D’Onofrio after break-through role
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 Brynner and Robert Plant, to support his dreams of being an actor.
But after appearing in a couple of low-budget films, D’Onofrio’s 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 D’Onofrio, 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 D’Onofrio, 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 the most weight gained by any actor for a role.
“[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 everybody’s a**. He thought some more weight would be needed.” Speaking of the role he played when he was 24, D’Onofrio continued, “I think it went up to 80 pounds…from 200 to 280.”
Gaining the weight was not an easy task for D’Onofrio, who was then faced with the gruelling demands of the movie’s 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.Continue reading…
