10 Crazy Sacrifices Actors Made For A Role (That Totally Backfired)

7. Tom Hanks Got Diabetes From Losing Weight - Cast Away

Tom Hanks had already shed 25lbs for his role as an AIDS patient in the 1993 movie Philadelphia, earning himself an Academy Award in the process. He went one better with his 2000 effort Cast Away by shedding a staggering 55lbs in order to depict the stranded Chuck Noland. He missed out on an Oscar this time but his performance, and the film in general, were well received by critics. The film also did a good job at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing film of the year. So what's wrong? It seems the move paid off with some very solid results all-round. Well, not exactly. In 2013 Hanks was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, usually associated with the overweight or obese, as opposed to reasonably svelte Hollywood royalty. Hanks himself blames the condition on his yo-yo dieting for Philadelphia and Castaway in particular, saying these extreme weight losses caused his metabolism to become permanently destabilised. There are sacrifices and then there's long term health damage - you can't help but wonder if Hanks would have repeated these roles if he had the chance.