Actor Orlando Bloom recently revealed how his recent drastic weight loss journey took a toll on his mental health. Sharing how he lost 52 pounds for his role as a retired boxer in The Cut, he noted how he was only eating tuna and cucumber in the lead-up to the film's production.
"I was just exhausted," he said, noting that he had "no energy or brain power, " according to People. "Just mentally, physically, I was hangry," he continued. "I was a horrible person to be around."
Bloom worked with nutritionist Philip Goglia, the same nutritionist Christian Bale used, and Goglia who advised Bloom to cut down his meals from three to two.
"Suddenly, all these foods were being taken away from me, and my protein powder was the last one," he added. "I was like, 'No! Don't take that one.' Then basically I came down to [eating] just tuna and cucumber for the last three weeks."
This led to a deep impact on his mental health with the actor suffering from "paranoia" and "intrusive thoughts" during the fitness journey. Goglia would also regularly check his blood, he said. "We're supposed to eat and sleep and take care of ourselves," he continued. "It's really a commentary on the lengths a person will go to have that second shot. I think that's so relatable."
He underlined how athletes are known to cut weight "on the regular," while actors tend to "take it to the extreme" within a short span of time before they take on a role.
During the shoot, he shared that he did all to do justice to his role, Bloom said, recalling that he would be "lying down in between takes on set," and then get up to do push-ups "to look a little bit bulkier."
Bloom noted that he doesn't want to "recommend" it to "anyone at home." and cautioned people against trying it without proper medical advice. Although he was excited by the challenge, he confessed that his lack of sleep caused such a mental toll on him that led to sleep deprivation as well.
In the upcoming film, Bloom stars as an ex-boxer who suffered a defeat that ended his career in the ring. Then, when he "trains for redemption," a synopsis teases, an "obsession takes hold and reality unravels -- and he may be spiralling into something far more terrifying."
The Cut is in theatres on September 5.
