Ne-Yo’s been on a roll when it comes to his burgeoning film career, scoring major roles in box-office hits like Battle: LA and Red Tails. But when the singer-turned-actor was offered the role of a lifetime, that of Martin Luther King Jr., in an upcoming film, Ne-Yo surprisingly turned it down.
In a recent interview with Britain’s Sunday Mirror, Ne-Yo spoke about rejecting the film role to focus on music.
“I definitely want to do more acting but it’s got to make sense with the music,” Ne-Yo said. “I recently had to turn down an amazing opportunity to be in a movie playing Martin Luther King.”
Ne-Yo then revealed that the real reason he turned down the role was because it required him to pack on some unwanted pounds.
“They wanted to start shooting at the time my album R.E.D. comes out and wanted me to gain 30 pounds, so I couldn’t do it,” Ne-Yo admitted. “I’m kicking myself but acting can’t take the place of my music. Plus, I’ve been killing myself in the gym for months preparing for this album because I wanted a complete makeover.”
Well, if Ne-Yo had taken the film role, he wouldn’t have been the first actor to change their body for a film role. Check out some other stars who’ve packed on the pounds or shed them for a role below. –nicholas robinson
