Matthew McConaughey shows off dramatic weight loss for new movie role in New York

Sports buff Matthew McConaughey looked almost unrecognisable as he showed off his shrinking frame while out and about in New York, after signing up to lose 30lbs for his role as AIDS victim Ron Woodroof in The Dallas Buyer's Club

matthew mcconaughey, weight loss, marie claire, marie claire uk, dramatic movie makeover
matthew mcconaughey, weight loss, marie claire, marie claire uk, dramatic movie makeover
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Sports buff Matthew McConaughey looked almost unrecognisable as he showed off his shrinking frame while out and about in New York, after signing up to lose 30lbs for his role as AIDS victim Ron Woodroof in The Dallas Buyer's Club

Sports buff Matthew McConaughey looked almost unrecognisable as he showed off his shrinking frame while out and about in New York, after signing up to lose 30lbs for his role as AIDS victim Ron Woodroof in The Dallas Buyer's Club.

The actor, who is expecting his third child with wife Camila Alves, was in New York filming his latest flick, The Wolf of Wall Street, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, but McConaughey's dramatic weight loss is for another movie, which starts filming in mid-September, The Dallas Buyer's Club, based on a true story.

DRAMATIC MOVIE MAKEOVERS

The new flick sees the actor take on the role of homophobic, heterosexual electrician Ron Woodroof, who contracted AIDS through drug use and became an illegal trafficker of AIDS drugs.

McConaughey's gaunt appearance is the result of an extreme diet the actor is undergoing, and he ultimately plans to lose 30lbs to completely transform himself into his character.

Of his punishing regime, he said: 'For me, it's more of a mental thing than a physical thing. I'll get down to the weight I need to get to. I'm on my way, and it's what I need to do for the job.'

According to reports, McConaughey's dramatic weight loss is the result of a mainly liquid diet. The actor is 'drinking a lot of tea,' and told reporters: 'It takes a while for your body to understand that it has to feed off of itself and that you’re not going to give it something else from the outside.'

Oh how, we're longing for the return of that well-muscled torso from Matthew's Magic Mike days!

What do you think of Matthew's dramatic movie makeover? Do you believe actors should take drastic measures with their health for the sake of their craft? Let us know in the box below.

PICS: ON THE SET OF THE WOLF OF WALL STREET WITH LEO

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