John Goodman speculates later weight gain was 'self-sabotage' in career

John Goodman turned down a nude scene in "The Righteous Gemstones" because he felt his body was "too messed up" following a massive weight loss transformation. The 74-year-old actor revealed the decision during an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, according to the New York Post ^[1].

Goodman, who played a recurring role on the HBO series from 2019 to 2025, told listeners he was hesitant to strip down. "I thought I was going to have to be naked. I said, ‘I don’t know. I’m good. My body is too messed up from losing all this weight,'" the "Roseanne" alum said. He noted that public scrutiny of his 200-pound loss is "fair game" in Hollywood, but he personally chooses to ignore the chatter.

The "Digger" star admitted he is still adjusting to his new physical appearance. "It’s weird. I think of myself as one way, and then I look at myself [and think], ‘Oh, wow,'" Goodman explained. He described the process of getting used to his slimmer face and body as both strange and fun, noting that he has hired a personal trainer and cut sugar from his diet to maintain the change.

In a separate interview with the Sunday Times, Goodman confessed he still feels like a "fat guy" despite being able to shop at regular clothing stores now. He admitted to forcing himself to go to the gym, saying, "If it was just me, I’d skip it." He previously told People magazine in 2010 that his sedentary lifestyle was a "waste" of creative energy.

Goodman also reflected on his early career, when he weighed around 225 pounds and ran daily in New York City. He speculated that his later weight gain may have been a form of "self-sabotage" that impacted his roles. The actor showed off his transformed physique on the red carpet at the "Smurfs" premiere last year and again at the "Digger" premiere in September.