SANTA MONICA – In playing real-life HIV patient-turned-activist Rod Woodruff in “Dallas Buyers Club,” Matthew McConaughey transformed himself physically and emotionally.
He earned a Best Actor trophy at the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards for his efforts.
When asked how he went about becoming Woodruff in Jean-Marc Vallée's film, the Oscar nominee noted, “I had a real man [to draw from]. I had his diary from two years before he had HIV. I got his humor from that. I got his humanity from that.”
The physical side of his transformation is already well-documented, but it nonetheless played a crucial role in his performance in the film. After dieting and losing a few pounds, McConaughey said, “I had no idea how far I had to go. I had no idea how much I had to lose.”
“47 [lbs.] was the final number,” he concluded.