When I think of Ethan Suplee, the first character that comes to mind is the dimwitted, schlubby Randy Hickey from My Name is Earl. But he’s got a very impressive resume in Hollywood, including American History X, Remember the Titans and Chance, with Hugh Laurie, in which I thought Ethan was great as D. Whatever you remember him from, a certain image comes to mind when you think of him and it certainly is not of the guy in the header IG post. But that’s exactly who it is. Ethan has been on a weight journey for a few decades now, one that comes from redefining his relationship with food, all of which he is documenting on his new podcast, American Glutton.
Ethan Suplee fans have been left stunned after the actor revealed his impressive weight loss transformation, which he is documenting on his new podcast, American Glutton.
In the premiere episode of the podcast, which was released earlier this week, the 43-year-old Remember the Titans star discussed his relationship with food and how it’s changed over the years, starting with unhealthy binge-eating habits he started at the young age of 5.“I learned really quickly that if I wanted a second helping of lasagna, when I cleared my plate, I had to eat it in the kitchen without them seeing, that I was not supposed to have that second helping of lasagna,” Suplee said on the podcast, recalling a trip to his grandparents’ house in Vermont in which they expressed concern over his weight.
“I was also made to walk every day, which was ‘exercise,’ which I hated. I did not like being put on this forced march every morning” he continued.
“I just started practicing sneaking food,” he said, adding that the behavior continued into his preteen and teenage years. By age 10, Suplee said he weighed more than 200 pounds, and his parents put him on a diet, starting years of on-and-off dieting.
Suplee said that he used food, alcohol and drugs to “numb” himself throughout his teenage years. “Health wasn’t something I ever thought about.”
After getting sober in 2002, Ethan tried any diet he could, losing and gaining back weight many times over. But looking after his health came at a cost to his career. In one of the more interesting bends in his weight loss road, he found Hollywood had little interest in a leaner Ethan. If he wanted to keep acting, he had to gain back the weight.
“I lost a s—load of weight. I went from 530 to, at my lowest, 220,” Suplee said, adding that he developed a passion for cycling after My Name Is Earl, on which he played Randy Hickey, was canceled in 2009. “At 220, I was very, very thin.”
But when he returned to acting a few years later, hundreds of pounds lighter, he said that it was more difficult for him to find work.
“At some point I was like, ‘Well f—, I’m just gonna get fat again because maybe it’ll be better for work,’” he said. “And honestly, it was.”
Ethan said he almost lost the role of D on Chance that I liked him in so much due to the fact that he’d trimmed down. He assured the show runner he would gain weight for the role and got the role after he, in fact, filled out as promised.
I’m glad that Ethan has finished his journey where he wanted. I’m really happy he chose his health, ultimately. I hope Hollywood rewards him by not insisting he only play one type of aesthetic. He is still as talented, just in a different frame. It is so bonkers that Hollywood gets to dictate who has to look like what. Anyone can be talented, anyone can be funny, anyone can be attractive, they don’t have to be sorted by some regimented size chart.
Photo credit: Instagram and WENN Photos
That’s a really impressive transformation – clearly he did a ton of work and looks amazing.
Hollywood is not a healthy place – that’s no news. It just targets women more than men. But I’m not surprised they wanted their typecast back.
His journey is so not finished. He’s just in a good place right now. One day at a time.
I really would like to see him in more roles – I’ve always thought he was great in everything I’ve seen him in. And it’s SO tiring that Hollywood is still obsessed with the fat friend trope. It’s especially insulting considering it’s an industry obsessed with looks, but wants to use overweight people as punch lines.
Too bad he’s a Scientologist.
yeah, this is what comes to mind when I see him. lost weight, got healthy? great, now drop the cult and get mentally healthy, too.
maybe he didn’t get roles when he was thinner because he’s just not that good of an actor? not much range. he seems to have played similar/the same character in the few things that I’ve seen him in.
I just came here to say the same thing. He’s a Scientologist so I’m cynical of anything he has to say.
Oh nooooooo not him too!
Yes! Exactly was I was going to say.
This is something that really baffles me. Men in film actually look diverse when it comes to body shapes and level of attractiveness. They can actually play a character and look ugly or fat or weird doing so while women are always attractive and young unless they play grandma.
I hope he can stay at a healthy weight now. As we get older this weight cycling is harder and harder on the organs and systems of the body. He has a long life left to live! I hope he can stay healthy and happy.
His timing as an actor is great. It takes intelligence to play characters that are comedically dumb. I hope he gets work for his talent, he was always more than just a “funny fat guy”, anyway!
I’m amazed that Scientology doesn’t have a weight-loss/fitness branch for their members. A Narcan-style Weight Watchers, or something.
whaaaa….???????
blasphemy! don’t you know they can cure that with their mind, just like drug addiction?!
/S
This has always surprised me too, considering as how many famous porkers they have as adherents, it would be an easy way for them to rake in even more money.
I’ve always thought of Ethan as a versatile actor. To go from playing a tender heart like Frankie on Boy Meets World to the despicable white supremacist Seth in American History X. That takes range.
Good for him. Getting healthy can be a challenge in a normal environment. Trying to do it in the Hollywood fishbowl much be beyond hard. I wish him well for continued health. It’s a lifetime journey.
Whoa! He got HOT!!
I remember him losing the weight a few years back, but didn’t realize he’d gained it back. He will always be Willem from Mallrats to me! I hope he’s in a good place now. So much of this stuff is tied to mental/emotional health.
The part about how it started for him as a kid is super interesting to me and I’d like to hear more about that. Like where did the hunger to binge come from? Was it emotional or physiological? Wonder if he’ll talk about that on the podcast at all.
I loved him in My Name Is Earl. He’s a very talented actor and looks like a completely different person now. I’m glad he chose his health and is talking so openly about it. Hopefully it can help others who have struggled with their weight and eating habits from childhood.
He looks amazing and healthy 👏