John Goodman has undergone one of Hollywood’s most remarkable weight loss transformations, shedding approximately 200 pounds after years of struggling with his health. But the beloved actor is now revealing that his dramatic physical change came with some unexpected complications.
The 74-year-old “Roseanne” star opened up about his health, past struggles with alcohol and life after losing half his former body weight in a revealing interview with The New Yorker published October 18.
Goodman, who once weighed nearly 400 pounds, admitted that he developed anemia and now feels cold almost constantly following his weight loss journey, which included an operation on his stomach.
“I had an operation on my stomach,” he explained, adding that he became anemic and lost much of the insulating fat beneath his skin.
The result has been an uncomfortable sensitivity to cold, something the actor says he now deals with regularly.
Goodman did not specify what type of stomach surgery he underwent or exactly when the procedure took place. Although anemia can occur following certain weight loss operations, he did not provide enough medical information to establish precisely what caused his condition.
The health concerns are a surprising development for an actor whose slimmer appearance has attracted considerable attention in recent years.
For decades, Goodman was known for his larger-than-life personality and imposing physical presence, particularly during his years playing Dan Conner on the hit sitcom “Roseanne.”
Behind the scenes, however, he was struggling with a cycle of unhealthy habits that became increasingly difficult to break.
Goodman recalled repeatedly losing enormous amounts of weight, sometimes as much as 60 pounds over a single summer, only to regain everything and more.
Eventually, he grew exhausted by the constant fluctuations.
His problems with food were also closely connected to his longtime battle with alcoholism, which he has discussed candidly in previous interviews.
Goodman stopped drinking in 2007, but sobriety did not immediately resolve his struggles with compulsive behavior.
Instead, he found himself turning to food for the same emotional comfort he had previously sought through alcohol.
“I was eating alcoholically after I stopped drinking,” he admitted.
At his heaviest, Goodman said he was approaching 400 pounds and knew that something had to change.
The actor eventually committed to a more sustainable lifestyle, working with a personal trainer, improving his eating habits and incorporating regular exercise into his routine.
His efforts helped him lose approximately 200 pounds, a transformation that became especially noticeable during recent movie premieres and public appearances.
But Goodman’s health journey has involved much more than the number on a scale.
He also reflected on the years when his drinking had begun affecting his physical well-being and everyday life.
The actor described suffering severe hangovers and withdrawal symptoms, including shaking that sometimes prompted him to drink again simply to feel better.
By the time he decided to quit, he believed his health had reached a dangerous turning point.
He said he had become tired of living that way and wanted to experience life without depending on alcohol.
Looking back, Goodman believes sobriety allowed him to become more present in his relationships and appreciate experiences he had previously overlooked.
Now, nearly two decades after quitting drinking, he says he is happier, although he continues working through some personal challenges.
One of those challenges is his tendency to put enormous pressure on himself professionally.
Despite a successful Hollywood career spanning decades, Goodman admitted that he still struggles to relax while acting.
He sometimes rehearses lines so intensely that he ends up making the work more difficult for himself.
The actor hopes to become more comfortable trusting his instincts rather than constantly second-guessing his performances.
His physical health has also required additional attention following a painful accident on the set of his recent film “Digger,” starring Tom Cruise.
Goodman revealed that he fractured his hip after slipping while walking across the set in his socks.
He underwent surgery the following day and said he was able to function again within about a month.
Since then, the actor has placed greater emphasis on strength training, balance and exercises designed to reduce his risk of another fall.
His fitness routine now focuses less on losing weight and more on staying strong, mobile and independent as he gets older.
Goodman has remained busy professionally, continuing the remarkable career that made him a household name through projects including “The Big Lebowski,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “The Conners” and “The Righteous Gemstones.”
His latest film, “Digger,” reunites him with the big screen in a dark comedy featuring Cruise.
Although Goodman has faced challenges throughout his health transformation, he made it clear that he does not regret making the changes that helped him regain control of his life.
He is especially grateful for his sobriety and the opportunity to continue working in an industry he loves.
And after years of battling his weight, addiction and self-doubt, the veteran actor has reached a place where he can appreciate how far he has come.
“I’m happy now,” he said.