Jonah Hill has been opening up about his long-time struggle with weight and body image. In a very open and honest sit-down interview with Ellen DeGeneres, the 34-year-old actor said growing up in the spotlight left him vulnerable to criticisms about his body.
Speaking with DeGeneres, Hill talked about the struggles he had growing up as an overweight kid “feeling lonely and not understanding my own worth.”
The actor and comedian has lost and gained weight many times during his career. One of his biggest body transformations came four years after Superbad was released, at the premiere of 2011’s Moneyball, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Although Hill achieved success at a young age, it did little to improve his self image or how others treated him. The actor being told he was “fat and gross and unattractive” as a young adult.
“I think everybody has a version of themselves ― I call it a snapshot ― at some point in life… [you’re] trying to hide from the world. Even if you get success or grow up or become good-looking or whatever … you kind of carry some part of that with you,” he told DeGeneres. “For me, it’s definitely being like this 14-year-old kid, being overweight, wanting to fit in with these skaters and hip-hop kids, and just feeling lonely and maybe not understanding my own worth.”
Hill spoke with DeGeneres about his new coming-of-age movie titled Mid90s, which he says reflects some of those personal adolescent struggles, including his fluctuating weight.