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Channing Tatum transforms for his latest role in Derek Cianfrance's new film, Roofman. It's rare to see him in a drama as grounded as this one. So, it may have allowed him to show his dramatic chops, where he plays an ordinary man, doing not-so-ordinary things.
To preface, Roofman centers around the stranger-than-fiction tale of a thief breaking out of prison to find a new life. It's based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, played by Tatum, who hides in the walls of a Toys "R" Us store, while starting a new life under a fake name. Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines and Blue Valentine) co-wrote and directed this crime dramedy, which lets Tatum make this dramatic pivot to a film that feels closer to life.
That's not the only way Tatum remained faithful to the reality of the situation. In a recent Variety interview, the actor revealed how he lost nearly 70 pounds for this role to play real-life Jeffrey. The actor said,
“Jeff is a really thin guy. He’s not as big boned as me. I think he’s tall, but he’s just really wiry. So wired and really fit."
Tatum also explained another reason he needed to lose the weight was a different film shot before Roofman, where he needed to gain weight.
“I had just done a role [in Beth de Araujo's Josephine] earlier that year, and I got up to 240 [pounds]. I only planned to get down to 185. Once I was already going [with] the days of shooting, it kept coming off. I got down to 172.”
Roofman star Channing Tatum's weight loss also connects with the themes of loneliness
Channing Tatum's transformation wasn't just physical but psychological. Us Weekly reports how the said weight loss affected his performance, where he could channel the loneliness and emptiness that the protagonist felt throughout the film, while trying to lead a new life. In line with this, the actor told Variety,
“Life gives you fuel. If you’ve really been heartbroken, and really been in pain, and felt real, true aloneness … I’ve experienced enough life that I have something to offer. The technique, and the ability to actually deliver.”
In another conversation, Tatum also reflected on how the physical transformation reflects Jeffrey's emotional arc, who seems like a joy to be around but feels lost or rejected by everyone. Per Us Weekly, the actor said,
“The movie to me was a lot of loneliness. A real meditation for that wanting to be full. … That empty feeling sucks after a while.”
He also added,
“It was sort of an emptiness and a sadness to it. I would see myself and just seem hollow.”
Coming back to the topic of weight loss, the actor shared some details on how he developed his physique. He told Variety,
“I blew up to like 240. I was a big boy. — I used to take 30 pounds off in three weeks; I was just starving. The model diet."
The Roofman star also revealed how his nutritionist helped him get the shape he was required to. He added,
“I have a great nutritionist, and she’s helped me eat vegetables. I don’t like vegetables. It’s a texture thing.”
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The 45-year-old actor will soon return to the big screen, which involves this transformation. He is joined by a talented cast of Kirsten Dunst, Peter Dinklage, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, and more.
Paramount Pictures will release Roofman in theaters on October 10, 2025.
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