Rob McElhenney underwent a massive weight gain transformation of over 60 pounds for the role of ‘Fat Mac’ between the sixth and seventh seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Comparing his before and after pictures, many viewers couldn’t believe he actually gained weight rather than using body prosthetics or VFX.
It’s not common for actors to gain or lose weight for movie roles these days, especially with the revolution of all the prosthetics and VFX. However, there are a few actors in the industry who are willing to change their bodies in real-time for the sake of their roles.
Gaining weight for a movie role can be a challenging process, as it requires a combination of a high-calorie diet and a reduction in physical activity. Typically, actors will work with nutritionists and trainers to help them gain weight in a healthy way while minimizing the risk of health issues such as diabetes or heart disease.
Similarly, Rob McElhenney also underwent a significant weight gain transformation for the role of Mac in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. While the 45-year-old actor has already regained his shape back, some of his fans are curious to know about his weight gain journey for his role. Well, here’s everything you need to know.
Check out the weight gain stories of Sarah Snook and Keshia Knight Pulliam.
Rob McElhenney’s Weight Gain: The Fat Mac Actor Gained Over 60 Pounds in the Course of 7 Months Between the Sixth and Seventh Seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia!
Between the sixth and seventh seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rob McElhenney (@robmcelhenney) underwent a massive weight gain transformation to play the role of “Fat Mac.” Comparing his before and after pictures, many viewers actually believed that it might have been either body prosthetics or VFX to look fatter. However, this wasn’t the case in Rob’s transformation.
Rob McElhenney before and after weight gain.
Source: The Daily Beast
Eating four 1,000-calorie meals a day, Rob McElhenney gained more than 60 pounds in just over the course of 7 months as he thought a fat Mac would make for a funnier Mac. Talking about his weight transformation in an interview with The Wrap, he shared how he struggled while eating. He explained.
As I started off, I was doing it with chicken breast and rice and vegetables. But when you’re four months in it and you have to muscle down 1,000 calories for the third time or fourth time in a day and you have to either eat three chicken breasts, two cups of rice and two cups of vegetables — or one Big Mac — you start to see the Big Mac and realize it’s a lot easier to get down…And then every once in a while, I would eat three donuts.
Rob McElhenney decided he had put on enough weight when the scale reached 212 pounds. The actor said his exercise routine and nutrition needed to change in order to start losing the extra weight he had gained. He added,
Losing it is easy. You just stop eating so f–king much. [I’m also] working out three times a week. Regardless of your metabolism, if you stop consuming so many calories, you will lose weight.
On the other hand, Rob McElhenney sat down with Men’s Health in 2021 and talked about having abs. He said,
I’m gonna give you a little lesson in biology: the abs are always there. They’re IN there. They’re just behind a bunch of tacos and tequila. I was enjoying myself on vacation. The abs are there. And the second I want to those abs to come back, all it takes is 3-4 months of starving myself.
Here’s How Rob McElhenney and His Wife, Kaitlin Olson, Fell for Each Other!
Before becoming husband and wife, Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson were co-stars. After meeting and falling in love while filming It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the comedians started dating. They secretly dated for a while before ultimately telling the other cast members about their love, which led to their marriage two years later.
Rob McElhenney and his wife, Kaitlin Olson.
Source: People
After getting engaged in December 2007, the couple got married on September 27, 2008. Axel Lee and Leo Grey, the couple’s two boys, were born in September 2010 and April 2012, respectively. The couple has now been together for more than a decade and has enjoyed many tender moments. In the joint appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in August 2022, McElhenney told Olson:
We’ve had our ups and downs […] And I can tell you that I love you more now than I did 14 years ago….As hard as it is sometimes, just like in any relationship, I will keep showing up and doing my best because I love you so much.
