Charlize Theron Says She's Enjoyed Gaining Weight for Film Roles: 'Heaven Would Be Just Potato Chips'

When Charlize Theron has had to put on weight for a movie role, she’s tried to make the most of it.

The actress, 41, transformed her body for her Oscar-winning role in Monster, gaining weight to play serial killer Aileen Wuornos, and more recently, she reportedly put on 35 lbs. to play a mom with three kids in the new comedy-drama Tully, which filmed last year.

Theron opened up about the experience on Sirius XM’s Howard Stern Show on Wednesday.

“Every time I’ve had to do it, I have thoroughly enjoyed it,” she said. “Walking into a place with food and not having any restrictions. No thinking, “this is not good for me.’ It’s a f—– free for all. It’s amazing.”

Some of Theron’s foods of choice? “I love pasta and bread and potato chips. Heaven would be just potato chips for me,” she said.

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Although the star has admitted that gaining weight for a role is more difficult now that she’s in her forties.

“It was brutal in every sense,” Theron told Variety of putting on weight for Tully. “This time around, I really felt it in my health. The sugar put me in a massive depression. I was sick. I couldn’t lose the weight. I called my doctor and I said, ‘I think I’m dying!’ And he’s like, ‘No, you’re 41. Calm down.’ ”

Now, Theron, whose new movie, Atomic Blonde is out July 21, is back to her healthy habits.

“[For breakfast now] I’ll have a V8. I’ll have three V8s. I love me a V8. I love tomato juice,” she said during her Howard Stern interview. “That’s also because I’m making two lunch boxes and trying to get two kids ready. I can’t … I can only do … I have to feed them!”

As for her new go-to beverage: “I’m off coffee right now. I drink a lot of green tea,” Theron said. “I used to love coffee but now I’m into tea now.”