Actor Harvey Fierstein has revealed that he lost over 120 pounds using a weight loss drug, shedding the mass he gained during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Tony Award-winning actor, known for his starring role in “Ms. Doubtfire,” shared that the experience was different because he no longer felt like he was dieting.
Harvey Fierstein revealed his transformation as he opened the Harvey Fierstein Theater Lab, a performance space at the Library for the Performing Arts designed to inspire artists.
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Harvey Fierstein talks about his weight loss journey
Fierstein recently lost a few pounds and revealed that the secret behind his incredible transformation was “drugs.”
The Tony Award-winning actor, 70, humorously dismissed Ozempic before admitting he used Zepbound to help him on his weight loss journey.
In conversation with Page sixFierstein revealed that he gained significant weight during the COVID-19 lockdown, peaking at 310 pounds. However, after taking the weight loss drug, he managed to lose 120 pounds.
“I existed on the screen of my Zoom,” he said. “So I wrote my autobiography (‘I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir’) and did all the press work for the autobiography,” he explained.
Although he gained back 15 pounds, he has now maintained his current weight.
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Fierstein revealed that he had been suffering from weight fluctuations for a long time and admitted: “I’ve been thin before, that’s the sad part. I was skinny, I was fat, I was skinny, I was fat.”
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Harvey Fierstein reflects on the journey to weight loss and the effects of medication
Fierstein noted that his recent weight loss experience is different from his previous attempts, which likely involved dieting.
“What’s different is what the medication does for you, which is I don’t feel like I’m dieting,” he explained. “I feel like a normal person. I can go out to dinner with friends and not have to eat every piece of bread on the table and then go out for ice cream when I’m done eating dinner.”
“I know what it means to be full like a normal person,” the actor added.
Sharing his perspective on weight, he said: “People don’t understand that being fat isn’t a choice. It’s something that your body is out of balance and that causes your body to wobble.”
Fierstein also expressed strong support for the drug, describing himself as a “big believer.”
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The actor opened a theater laboratory to inspire future artists
Fierstein opened up about his weight loss journey while attending the opening of the Harvey Fierstein Theater Lab at the Library for the Performing Arts.
The newly opened performance space, designed by David Rockwell and funded by Fierstein, aims to nurture future artists.
The lab offers access to an extensive collection of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and one special feature: the piano that once belonged to Fierstein’s mother.
“The idea that in a public library that’s free to the public, there’s this space that you can go in and create,” the “Mulan” star shared. “Or find out if you are a creator. It’s not about producing something, it’s about producing someone.”
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Harvey Fierstein on his “hope” for his theater laboratory
Reflecting on the significance of the project, Fierstein revealed that he hopes the performance space will allow aspiring artists to “turn their dreams into reality.”
He said: “From my first days as a theater researcher, I have looked to the Library for the Performing Arts’ invaluable collection of scripts, scores, programs and video recordings as an irreplaceable source of inspiration.”
“My hope is that our theater lab can provide a cocoon for countless artists to turn their dreams into reality so that one day they can emerge and fly,” Fierstein added Us weekly. “Knowing that this unique resource will be free for everyone excites me to no end.”
The actor’s role in “Mrs. fire of doubt’
Fierstein, best known for his role as Frank Hillard in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” played a key role in one of the film’s most memorable transformations.
Based on Anne Fine’s 1987 novel “Alias Madame Doubtfire,” the film follows Daniel Hillard, played by the late Robin Williams, who disguises himself as the elderly British nanny Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire to search for his wife Miranda, played by his wife Miranda to stay close to his children Sally Field files for divorce.
Fierstein’s character Frank helps Daniel create the iconic nanny disguise.
Williams tragically died by suicide in 2014 at the age of 63 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Fierstein continues to honor his memory, writing in 2019: “We lost this precious jewel five years ago. I miss him.”
