Charles Melton Gained 40 Lbs. Eating 'a Bunch of Pizza and Ice Cream' for Role in May December

Charles Melton is sharing details about the transformation he had to make for his role in May December.

The Riverdale alum, 32, recently spoke to Entertainment Tonight and revealed that he gained 40 lbs. to play Joe Yoo in the new drama alongside Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.

Melton told the outlet that the decision to put on extra weight was made with director Todd Haynes.

"It was more of a collective discussion with Todd and I. We talked about what Joe would feel like, not so much as look like,” he explained. “Looking at the facts of him being this suburban father with three kids and being a loving husband. He doesn't really have too much time to spend on himself."

Melton shared how much he enjoyed being able to indulge while putting on the weight.

"I just ate a bunch of Five Guys and pizza and ice cream and Capri Suns and Gushers. I can keep on going. And I really enjoyed myself," he quipped.

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Back in September, Haynes also discussed the reason for Melton’s transformation for the film.

In an interview with Vulture, the director said he “felt that Joe would be a good-looking man, but Charles has that sort of hunkiness and pin-up quality that wasn’t necessarily how I pictured him." 

Haynes added that Melton "gained 35, 40 pounds for the role to change his chiseled self into something more familiar: a suburban man in this place."

"There’s such remarkable physicality in the choices he made as an actor," he said. "A friend of mine saw a cut of it, and he said, 'Charles moves like a child and an old man, a combination of the two' — which makes so much sense given his predicament."

May December is in select theaters Nov. 17 and on Netflix Dec. 1.