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Young Jonah Hill made a name for himself playing cinematic sardonic goofballs, but his acting career took a dramatic turn when he co-starred in the 2011 drama “Moneyball.” Not only was the film a chance for Hill to recalibrate his Hollywood career, but it also inspired him to embrace a more mature, healthier lifestyle. On “Oprah’s Oscar Special,” Hill shared with Oprah Winfrey that losing weight coincided with turning 28 years old and getting cast in “Moneyball.” He said, “It seemed like I was eager to shed my skin, whatever that meant. Like, get out of whatever box I was in.” He added, “Yeah, I wanted to be healthier, I wanted to grow up, and that meant maturing and not just doing one kind of film.”
Indeed, Hill felt like losing weight opened up the door for him to play more diverse characters. On the radio show “Kidd Kraddick in the Morning,” he shared, “When you’re a big guy, you can’t play a thin guy.” And while Hill lost noticeable weight, he gained Hollywood credibility. For the role of Peter Brand in “Moneyball,” he was nominated for an Oscar best supporting actor at the 84th Annual Academy Awards. But for Hill, being in “Moneyball” wasn’t about industry accolades, it was about growing as an actor. “To me, [doing ‘Moneyball’] is about making more dramatic movies. The awards element of it is completely secondary,” he told Entertainment Weekly.
