Jerry Bruckheimer Told Jerry O'Connell He Was Getting Too Pudgy While Making 'Kangaroo Jack'

Will Lerner
·Producer, Yahoo Entertainment

Jerry O’Connell taped an interview for the Feb. 17 episode of the Animal Planet talk show Animal Nation With Anthony Anderson, and chatted with Anderson about their 2003 comedy Kangaroo Jack. Now, this was back in the day when Anderson was heftier, but interestingly enough, producer Jerry Bruckheimer wasn’t concerned about his weight, according to Anderson.

“Jerry O’Connell and I had nothing to do while we were in the outback except drink, gamble, and work,” noted Anderson. “We went out a lot, that’s all we could do. Jerry got a call from Jerry Bruckheimer, saying, ‘Hey, Jerry, yeah, it’s Jerry. I’m going to cut straight to the chase — you’re getting a little pudgy.’” “I think we were going out a lot, so I was looking a little tired, a little beefy,” shared O’Connell.

Jerry O’Connell and Anthony Anderson in ‘Kangaroo Jack.’ (Photo: Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection)
Jerry O’Connell and Anthony Anderson in ‘Kangaroo Jack.’ (Photo: Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection)

“After he got that call that day, it’s 113 degrees where we’re filming, at 6 o’clock at night,” continued Anderson. “We get off of work after 14 hours. I see Jerry with his shirt, Jerry takes his shirt off when we get out of our cars, and has on running shoes. I was like, ‘Jerry, where you going?’ He said, ‘Man, JB just said I was getting fat, and so I got to lose some of this.’

Jerry O’Connell and Christopher Walken stand on either side of producer Jerry Bruckheimer. (Photo: Warner Bros./Everett)
Jerry O’Connell and Christopher Walken stand on either side of producer Jerry Bruckheimer. (Photo: Warner Bros./Everett)

“Jerry went on a five-mile run and ran five miles every day for the next three months on our shoot,” said Anderson while O’Connell laughed. “What pissed me off, as you guys look at me right now. Jerry Bruckheimer never called me and said, ‘Hey Ant, you’re getting a little fat, could you do something about that?’”

Animal Nation With Anthony Anderson airs Fridays at 10 p.m. on Animal Planet.

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