Jesse Plemons Has ‘Much More Energy’ After Losing 50 Pounds

Jesse Plemons is opening up about how his newfound health journey has changed his life.

“Well, I’m not lugging 50 more pounds around,” Plemons, 36, told Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of his new film, Kinds of Kindness, on Thursday, June 20, adding that he lost the weight “over the course of a year and a half or so” after trying intermittent fasting.

Plemons, who shares sons Ennis, 6, and James, 3, with wife Kirsten Dunst, went on to tell the outlet that his children were a driving force in choosing to embark on his healthy lifestyle.

“I have much more energy [now] and, like I’ve said, I’ve got young kids, so I got to keep up with them,” he added.

The Friday Night Lights alum previously opened up about his weight loss in an interview with the Los Angeles Times earlier this month.

“It’s really unfortunate that I decided to get healthy when everyone decided to take Ozempic,” the actor said. “It doesn’t matter, everyone’s going to think I took Ozempic anyway.”

Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes medication that is used to improve glycemic control, has become popular among celebrities for its efficacy in weight loss. Tracy Morgan, Heather Gay, Chelsea Handler and other celebs have spoken up about using the injectable drug.

Noting that the kickstart to his weight loss journey was a combination of “getting older” and visualizing a part he was going to play, Plemons explained how he approached changing his lifestyle.

“Several people talked to me about intermittent fasting and I just gave it a shot and [was] surprised at how quickly it was effective,” he continued. “So I lost a little bit before I did that part and then felt like I was in the rhythm, I was feeling better, and something shifted in my head. I just sort of got a handle on it.”

That role was a brief cameo in the dystopian war thriller Civil War, in which he played an ultranationalist militant. Dunst, 42, starred in the film as photojournalist Lee Smith.

After losing the weight, Plemons said he was approached about a role in Kinds of Kindness, in which director Yorgos Lanthimos wanted “the bigger” version of the actor. Plemons, however, was able to convince Lanthimos, 50, that he could still get the job done regardless of his thinner frame, and he was eventually cast to play three characters.