Daniel Radcliffe’s dedication to playing his part as realistically as possible in 2017 Jungle went to extremes and caused him to lose an unhealthy amount of weight. THE Harry Potter The actor went from a wizard to an Israeli adventurer who wandered the Amazon rainforest alone for three weeks.
This is nothing new in the entertainment industry; many celebrities undergo a physical transformation to perfectly embody the character they have to embody. In this case, Radcliffe must have starved to appear as someone who was lost in the desert.
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Daniel Radcliffe suffered from hunger and hallucinations on the set of Jungle
Daniel Radcliffe portrayed real-life personality Yossi Ghinsberg, an adventurer who set out in 1981 for the Bolivian Amazon rainforest with two buddies and a guide; the latter, unfortunately, got lost in the wild.
Ghinsberg chronicled the harrowing experience in his book, which was adapted for the screen by Justin Monjo and directed by Greg McLean. Radcliffe revealed that he knew the dangers and sacrifices he had to undertake for the role (via Market watch):
“There was no part of me that thought it was going to be an easy shoot, and neither should it be if you’re going to do the material justice. I went there fully aware that it was going to be more physically challenging than a lot of things have been..”
The actor reportedly lost 14 pounds after production and was forced to eat just one egg a day to get into the survivor mindset, according to Things. Radcliffe had to recreate Ghinsberg’s pain and physical emaciation in the film. He also added:
“To get that fatigue that seeps into the bones and weighs down the legs, it was really helpful to eat a little less.”
Radcliffe admitted that his diet for the film was not a surefire way to lose weight. It also turned out that the actor had hallucinations during filming and claimed that a woman often accompanied him on set.
Starvation aside, the actor nearly drowned in one scene while recreating the same experience Ghinsberg had while crossing the river. He recalled how intense and demanding this scene was, and it took them two days to execute it with 16 crew members standing on rocks near the river to create safety lines.
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A spiritual journey to remember
The jungle is, indeed, a treasure trove of wild animals, and Radcliffe admitted he’s come face to face with some strange and poisonous creatures. The extreme heat and rain, along with all the experience of nature, made the actor appreciate Ghinsberg’s love of nature.
“He describes that once he let go and allowed himself to feel like he was just another part of this natural organism that was all around him, he not only started succeeding survive, but really enjoyed the experience..”
Indeed, this realization allowed the actor to fully immerse himself in the role and embrace what it means to narrate a spiritual journey that tested Ghinsberg’s faith in God and his will to live. .
Sources: Market watch, Things
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