Adam Driver has remarkably transformed himself from a feeble priest in Martin Scorsese’s Silence to super fit villain, Kylo Ren, in Star Wars 8. In Silence, Driver plays Portuguese priest who attempts to spread his religion to an embattled 17th century Japan. He also searches for his missing mentor, Father Cristovao Ferreira played by Liam Neeson.
For the movie, Adam Driver was required to lose some weight and rumors are rife that he lost a whopping 50 pounds! Losing weight was really challenging and Driver says that it helped him to get further into his role by stretching himself more.
Adam Driver’s Weight Loss For “Silence”
When Adam Driver had to lose weight to play a priest who was starved and beaten back in 17th century, he followed an extreme diet and event went to the extent of consuming weight loss pills. He lost up to 30 pounds and was told to lose more weight as filming went on. He suffered from hunger and extreme fatigue and felt it was the hardest thing he had to do.
He admits he found dieting to be an integral part of his process as an actor. “I don’t like being labeled as a certain kind of person or a certain kind of actor,” he told IndieWire in a recent interview. He continued, “Hopefully you get a chance to stretch and not stay in one mode.”
Adam Driver’s Fit Physique for “Star Wars 8”
Adam Driver’s preparation for Star Wars began months before he started filming and he kept training for the duration of the filming.
He had some military experience which helped him in fight training, but it was different than the one required for Star Wars. He said, “We didn’t have lightsabers in the Marine Corps but yeah, I enjoyed the physical part.”
He continued, “Plus it’s part of the [‘Star Wars’] world we’re trying to inhabit. Their bodies and the way they inhabit them physically is very much their world, so it didn’t seem so much of a huge undertaking. It’s like the vocabulary of this world.” Driver is very creative and he himself created the new style of lightsaber which he carries in the trailer.
For Star Wars, Adam Driver got back his ripped muscles. His diet included a lot of protein like chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans which helped him bulk up. He also consumed plenty of fresh fruits and green veggies. He eats five to six small meals everyday and also drinks a protein shake. He consumes nutrient-dense calorie-rich foods and he also has peanut butter which has good amount of protein.
In addition to a healthy diet he does full body workouts like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bench presses, pull-ups, dips, and barbell rows.
Sources:
McCluskey, M., “Here’s How Adam Driver Learned to Master the Dark Side,” Time web site, December 1, 2015; http://time.com/4129579/adam-driver-masters-dark-side-star-wars-the-force-awakens/, last accessed January 6, 2017
Erbland, K., “Adam Driver Delivers: ‘Silence’ and ‘Paterson’ Are His Best Roles Yet — Consider This,” IndieWire web site, Dec 15, 2016; http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/silence-paterson-adam-driver-interview-1201758036/, last accessed January 6, 2017
