Rebel Wilson Shares How Her 80-Pound Weight Loss Made Her 'More Versatile' In Hollywood

Rebel Wilson has revealed how her 2020 weight loss, which she dubbed her "year of health," made her more versatile in Hollywood.

The actress reflected on how people's perceptions shifted after her transformation, noting that it affected her career significantly.

Rebel Wilson also shared how motherhood influenced her role as Lady Capulet in "Juliet & Romeo."

In a recent interview with the New York Post, Wilson, best known for her role as "Fat Amy" in the "Pitch Perfect" franchise, opened up about how her weight loss in 2020 changed the trajectory of her acting career.

Promoting her latest film, "Juliet & Romeo," which hits theaters May 9, the 45-year-old Australian actress revealed that the weight loss transformation made her more visible for a broader range of roles.

"When I lost weight in 2020, that weirdly made me more versatile as an actress, even though I had the same skills," she shared.

Wilson continued: "Seeing me in these Hollywood glossy comedies, you wouldn't expect me to do a turn as Lady Capulet. But I was a new mother when I got offered this role, and Lady Capulet's like an iconic Shakespearean mother – normally played quite villainously. However, I tried to give it a little bit more empathy."

Wilson dropped nearly 80 pounds in 2020, which she had dubbed her "year of health."

Reflecting on how her 2020 transformation impacted her career, the "The Hustle" actress acknowledged that weight loss significantly shifted how others perceived her in the industry.

"I think people see you differently [after weight loss] and can imagine you more easily in different roles. So I think that probably had the biggest effect," she said.

The actress continued: "It's interesting, was there some people in the business that called me back that didn't call me back when I was very overweight? I mean, maybe it's just the intention of losing weight that came with it."

She added, "Or, you read some psychological studies that say you're more visible than to some people."

Now, five years later, Wilson claims the drastic shift in how others treated her has "mellowed out a bit."

"I think people treat me pretty much the same now," she noted. "Sometimes I'm a healthier version, and other times I'm still struggling [with] emotional eating and stuff. I try to stay more on the healthy side."

In this new film, a musical reinterpretation of the classic "Romeo and Juliet" tale, Wilson takes on a dramatically different role as Lady Capulet.

Joining her are Jason Isaacs as Lord Montague, Clara Rugaard as Juliet, Jamie Ward as Romeo, and Sir Derek Jacobi as the Friar.

Wilson, who welcomed her daughter, Royce, via surrogacy in 2022, also shared that her decision to play Lady Capulet in "Juliet & Romeo" was deeply influenced by her journey into motherhood.

"I don't put myself first. By being an actor, being a performer, as part of your job, you're a bit self-absorbed. You just have to go the opposite once you have a child," she explained. "I can't just leave the house. I've got to be always thinking about my daughter and what's good for her. And I think that's changed me in a really positive way."

Wilson has been open about the motivations behind her weight loss journey, revealing that after a fertility doctor advised that shedding weight could improve her chances with IVF, she committed to prioritizing her health.

However, the choice wasn't universally supported. In fact, Wilson recalled facing "a lot of pushback" from within the industry, especially from her team, who couldn't understand why she would want to lose weight when she was "earning millions of dollars playing the funny fat girl."

"Basically, no one apart from my mom wanted me to lose weight," she told The Sunday Times. "People thought I'd lose my pigeonhole in my career, playing the fat funny character, and they wanted me to continue in that."

During an appearance on "The Morning Show," Agruma discussed her relationship with Wilson after the actress publicly announced on Instagram that they were together.

While reflecting on their romance journey, Agruma admitted that the early days of their relationship were tough due to the overwhelming attention that came from the media due to Wilson's celebrity.

"It was shocking at the beginning and hard because I'm not used to so much attention," Agruma said on the daytime show, per E! News, adding, "I'm more private, more homebody."

She then narrated their encounters with paparazzi, saying, "Sometimes it happens on the hiking trail, sometimes looking horrible and going to the grocery store or grabbing protein shake."