The Microwave Snack Jason Segel Ate Every 3 Hours To Bulk Up For A Role

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Jason Segel transformed his body for the film "The End of the Tour" in 2015, gaining about 50 pounds for his role as author David Foster Wallace. He was recently questioned about the method he used for bulking up in record time, and the answer he gave was hot pockets.

During an interview with Sean Evans on the show "Hot Ones," Segel admitted to consuming three hot pockets every three hours. He said he had become too skinny for a previous role, had ground to make up, and had a short time to gain about 50 pounds for the part in "The End of the Tour." Segel said he turned to hot pockets — a childhood favorite snack — and consumed them relentlessly for about a month. His preferred flavor during the bulk-up was the classic pepperoni pizza Hot Pocket, which contains 320 calories, 11 grams of protein, and 760 mg of sodium per pocket. While those numbers might be surprising, the company claims each Hot Pocket is made with premium meats (100% Angus beef in some cases) and real Wisconsin cheese – one of the untold truths about Hot Pockets.

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Jason Segel acknowledged his hot pocket bender as being wildly unhealthy, albeit enjoyable. Further into the interview he told Evans, "It was super fun. It was a great time in my life, but I wouldn't do it again." But Segel is just one name on a long list of actors and actresses who have used food to bulk up for roles.

Renee Zellweger dined on 20 donuts per day — more than 4,000 calories — while preparing to star in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason." While bulking up for his role in "Reacher," Alan Ritchson claimed he had an assistant whose full-time job was to bring him food in his quest to gain 30 pounds. Ritchson's go-to meal was popeye's chicken. And while some actors approach bulking up by targeting calories, others like Jeremy Renner take the clean, lean approach. Renner said while building muscle for his role as Marvel superhero Hawkeye, he stuck with mostly vegetables and meat.

Some actors' weight gain sticks in viewers' minds more than others. Such is the case with Rob Mac, known for playing Mac in the show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Users on Reddit at r/cinema dedicated a thread to discussing his transformation from Mac to "fat Mac," with before and after photos and thoughtful discussion.