As previously reported, Things Fall Apart features Jackson (who wrote the film as well) as a college football star who faces his mortality after being stricken with cancer. And let's face it: When a 34-year-old attempts to pass himself off as a college hero, the least he can do is lose 54 pounds to at least make the cancer part of his role look real. He told Us Weekly that he achieved the weight loss via a "liquid diet and three-hour-a-day treadmill walks for nine weeks," adding that he was "starving" on the set of the Mario Van Peebles-directed drama. As weight-shedding actors go, he joins the infamous ranks of Christian Bale (The Machinist, Rescue Dawn) and Michael Fassbender (Hunger) in the pursuit of visceral, unflinching realism. And an Oscar, I guess, though I don't think anyone's ever won much more than a TV show for dropping massive lbs. in a matter of weeks.
Anyway, what do Fitty's fans think? Judging from responses likening him to a "black Conehead" and/or an aficionado of "crack sandwiches," it could be better. Have a look at one of 72 pages of comments to date at his fan site This is 50:
LOOK CLOSELY! OK, that's close enough.
ยท 50 Cent Lost 50 Pounds For Movie Role [RapRadar via PopEater]