“Awfully Slim”: 30 Celebrities Who Faced Online Scrutiny Over Their Weight Loss

Last month, the actress stunned fans with her slimmer physique when she hosted Saturday Night Live for the sixth time.

“I’m really impressed by Melissa’s weight loss progress,” one viewer wrote. “So glad to see Melissa McCarthy back on the SNL stage, and she looks fabulous,” another added.

The Bridesmaids actress, who has struggled with her body image since she was a teen, reportedly lost an estimated 75 to 95 pounds (34 to 43 kg) gradually, over the course of five years.

In 2011, Melissa revealed that she was once told by a manager that she would never achieve success if she didn’t lose weight.

"It really hurt my feelings,” she recalled. “I understand that the odds are not as high as if I was skinny, but I still have talent. I thought, ‘I’ll show you!'”

The songstress’ weight has fluctuated over the years.

Lana flaunted her weight loss in 2024 after revealing she had been working out at Taylor Swift’s go-to gym, Dogpound.

Still, many continued to believe the Summertime Sadness singer had taken weight-loss jabs to achieve her figure—despite her body appearing more muscular than those who shed weight on such medications.

The comedian has spoken openly about shedding 50 pounds (22 kg) after undergoing liposuction and taking the weight-loss medication Mounjaro.

She explained that she lost weight “not to look hot which does feel fun and temporary” but to “survive.”

“I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy that can k*ll you, but the internet caught it, and the disease has cleared,” Amy shared, referring to Cushing’s Syndrome, a condition that occurs when the body has too much of the stress hormone cortisol for a long time.

Kathy Bates has been in the spotlight for decades, having starred in Six Feet Under, American Horror Story, and Matlock.

Last year, the talented actress had social media abuzz with her 100 lb (45 kg) weight-loss transformation.

“Getting diagnosed with diabetes doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods, but it can definitely help to be mindful of your overall eating pattern,” said Kathy, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2017.

The 77-year-old noticed the benefits of her health transformation when filming for Matlock.

“I’m in good shape. I can walk, I can breathe, whereas before on different shows, I had to sit down every two to three minutes,” she explained.

Kathy credits lifestyle changes for helping her lose most of her weight over the years and said she used GLP-1 medication to shed the last 15 to 20 lbs (7-9 kg).

In 2020, Adele posted a picture to Instagram highlighting her weight loss in a black minidress, sparking Google searches for the “Adele diet.”

“I think one of the reasons people lost the plot was because actually, it was over a two-year period,” she told British Vogue of losing 100 pounds (45 kg) behind closed doors.

The Grammy winner emphasized that her motivation was never aesthetic but instead focused on her physical and mental health.

She said physical exercise helped reduce her anxiety. “I got quite addicted to it. I work out two or three times a day,” Adele explained. She also denied rumors that she followed a plant-based diet.

“I never looked up to anyone because of their weight. I was body-positive then and I’m body-positive now.”

Nikki, who hosted this year’s Golden Globes, joked about her appearance during her opening monologue at the awards show.

"Just like Frankenstein, I've been pieced together by an unlicensed European surgeon,” she quipped.

The comedian shared a carousel of Instagram images last March that highlighted how her appearance has changed since the start of her career. 

She has also defended the use of weight-loss jabs. “Oh, I love it. I love it. I’m like, do it, do it. I have no judgment. If you want to do Oz*mpic, hell yeah, girl.

"The shame is only from thin people who want you to stay fat. That's really where it's coming from.”

The Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton creator revealed in 2015 that she had lost 117 pounds (53 kg).

In her memoir, released that year, Shonda said she "galloped" around her house while carrying her then-toddler, Emerson, on her back.

"When that moment happened, when I could do that, it was such a moment of both relief and revelation for me, that it's one of those memories I'll take with me forever.”

Shonda said she worked with a personal trainer and changed her eating habits, though she explained that no food is “off-limits” as long as she eats a reasonable portion.

The Great British Bake Off star achieved her dramatic transformation by exercising with a personal trainer four times per week.

While she has "absolutely not" had any weight-loss medication, she doesn’t rule out the idea of using it in the future.

"Maybe next year. Do you know what? I might start jabbing up. What does it matter how people lose weight? Would you rather me d*e from being obese?" Alison said, as per The Mirror.

The 50-year-old, who has reportedly lost 11 stone (70 kg), shared that her transformation began after she discovered she was at risk of diabetes.

The 27-year-old son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver addressed his remarkable physical transformation last year.

Speaking at Beacher Vitality’s Happy & Healthy Summit, Christopher shared that he started modifying his diet and exercising in 2019 while living in Australia.

“I just saw how much my weight was prohibiting me from doing the everyday activities,” he recalled.

“I was like, ‘I want to go skydiving.’ And my friends were like, ‘Yeah, no shot.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I can’t skydive.'”

Christopher said he previously “tried everything” to lose weight without significant results, including healthy meal deliveries when he was in high school, and that his recent transformation required a lot of “trial and error."

The Wolf of Wall Street actor told The Post that he weighed 536 lbs (243 kg) at his heaviest and had to order a special scale because his doctor’s one only went up to 350 lbs (160 kg).

After a period of denial about his need for help, Ethan adopted a keto diet and began exercising consistently with a trainer. By 2005, he had shed a whopping 250 pounds (113 kg).

“I had to get rid of the idea that food was the culprit and work more heavily on concentrating or thinking about what behaviors of mine were contributing to this condition,” explained the 49-year-old star.

“When I got super dialed into that, I was finally able to have some success with dieting where I would lose weight and I was able to maintain it.”

The British musician showed off his ripped physique in a shirtless photoshoot for Men’s Health last month.

Ed revealed that he went from being a “beer guzzling, kebab munching smoker” ten years ago to gradually embracing a healthier lifestyle and losing 30 pounds (14 kg). His biggest motivation? The birth of his two daughters.

“[Fitness] just sort of became something that really added to my life. I think that you have to make good decisions,” he told the fitness magazine. 

“And I think that in my thirties, that’s where I’m at.”

The Star Search judge shared that his body transformation helped him get “a lot closer to God” and be more active for his 10-year-old child.

“I’m such a better husband. I’m such a more present father,” he told Komo News after shedding an impressive 300 pounds (136 kg).

“I wasn’t physically able, if my son wanted to go shoot basketball, I couldn’t physically do that,” the Son of a Sinner singer explained.

Now, he can play basketball with his son for hours. The star, born Jason Bradley DeFord, even joked that he has “more stamina than my 10-year-old.”

The comedy actor revealed that he didn’t take his shirt off in a pool until he was in his mid-30s, even in front of family and friends.

He said it probably would have happened sooner if his childhood insecurities “weren’t exacerbated by years of public mockery about my body by press and interviewers,” adding, “I’m 37 and finally love and accept myself.”

In 2017, Jonah, who reportedly turned vegan as part of his transformation, said he asked his 21 Jump Street co-star Channing Tatum for weight-loss advice. 

“I called Channing Tatum and said, ‘Hey, if I eat less and go to a trainer, will I get in good shape?’ and he’s like, ‘Yeah, you dumb motherf***er, of course you will. It’s the simplest thing in the entire world.'”

The English actress called her weight loss a “physical manifestation of grief” in an emotional Instagram video posted last month, explaining that she lost her appetite after losing both of her parents.

“It doesn’t make me feel very hungry,” the star explained, speculating that she may have “some kind of survivor guilt.”

“For all the people who are inconvenienced by me being too thin, too anything or not what they expect me to be like, I really really wish you had parents like I had,” she added.

Kate’s stepdad suffered a fatal stroke in January 2024, while her mom lost her battle to cancer in July 2025. Her father passed away suddenly of a heart attack when she was five years old.

The Wednesday actress sparked health concerns over her slender frame and hollow cheeks following her appearance at the 2026 Golden Globes.

“She has chopped weight, is she OK?” one fan wrote.

“She's awfully slim,” read another comment.

Jenna, who has also faced speculation about undergoing buccal fat removal surgery (also known as cheek reduction), has not addressed the commentary about her body.

The tennis legend revealed that she relied on weight-loss medication to help her through her struggles with her body image. 

In August, Serena shared that she had lost more than 30 pounds (13 kg) with the help of GLP-1 medication.

“I feel great,” she told People magazine. “I feel really good and healthy. I feel light physically and light mentally.”

Serena explained that her self-image struggles began after she gave birth to her first daughter, Alexis Olympia, in 2017.

“I’d never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy, and could never get down to where I needed to be,” she recalled, sharing her reason for taking the injectable medication.

Selena’s appearance has been scrutinized throughout her career, with people fixating particularly on her fluctuating weight.

As the star explained, this is due to her Lupus medication, which causes water retention.

“When I’m taking [the medicine], I tend to hold a lot of water weight, and that happens very normally. And then when I’m off of it, I tend to kind of lose weight,” the Only Murders in the Building actress shared in 2023.

Selena was diagnosed with the disease, which causes inflammation that can affect the skin, joints, lungs, and heart, in 2013.

The 45-year-old actress has described herself as an “emotional eater.”

Speaking on the Today Show, Rebel explained that she lost more than 80 pounds (36 kg) in 2020 by combining exercise and a high protein diet with GLP-1 medication.

The Pitch Perfect star said she turns to weight-loss jabs when her schedule gets busy and she doesn’t have time to work out.

“I’m really using the GLP-1s as a tool,” she explained, “so I don’t all of a sudden gain 10 to 15 pounds in a month.”

J-Law’s appearance at the Golden Globes, where she was nominated for Die My Love, sparked a flurry of discussion on social media as people fixated on her slim figure.

One user commented, “Bring back thick Jennifer Lawrence who didn't care about being skinny. This new thin dress body is fine, but she lost all the fun body we loved.” 

Others described her facial features as “Oz*mpic face,” a hollowed look to the face that Harvard Medical School lists as a side effect of GLP-1 medication or any rapid weight-loss method.

The TV personality sparked controversy after saying those who criticized weight-loss medications are "pissed off" they can’t afford them.

"There are a million ways to lose weight — why not do it through something that isn't as boring as working out?" Kelly said while speaking to E! Online in 2024.

"People hate on it because they want to do it," she added. "And the people who hate on it the most are the people who are secretly doing it or pissed off that they can't afford it.”

In recent months, the former Fashion Police host sparked health concerns over her noticeably thin and pale appearance.

“There’s no way this is healthy,” one user wrote, while another noted, “Whoa, I didn’t even realize that was her. She’s unrecognizable.”

Lizzo has been documenting her weight-loss journey on social media over the last few years.

The Truth Hurts singer denied using weight-loss jabs, attributing her transformation to a calorie-deficit diet and exercise.

Just like Meghan Trainor, Lizzo, a body positive activist, faced harsh judgment after slimming down.

The 37-year-old addressed her detractors in a statement posted last November. She penned, “It was never about being ‘thin’ for me. I don’t even think it’s possible for me to be considered actually ‘thin.’ 

"We’re in an era where the bigger girls are getting smaller because they’re tired of being judged. And now those bigger girls are being judged for getting smaller by the very community they used to empower.

"There’s nothing wrong with living in a bigger body. There’s nothing wrong with being fat. But if a woman wants to change, she should be allowed to change."

In 2014, Meghan topped charts with All About That Bass, a hit that encouraged women to embrace their curves.

Since then, the singer began taking weight-loss medication and shed 60 pounds (27 kg). 

After people began leaving harsh comments accusing her of hypocrisy over her weight loss, Meghan wrote on social media that she found it “a little disheartening” that her body was being discussed more than her music.

“No, I don’t look like I did 10 years ago. I’ve been on a journey to be the healthiest, strongest version of myself for my kids and for me,” she stressed, adding that she lost weight through exercise, changes to her diet, and Mounjaro.

After surprising fans with her physical transformation in 2023, Oprah was one of the first celebrities to defend the use of weight-loss jabs.

Discussing her experience with the GLP-1 agonist, which suppresses appetite, the media mogul revealed that she used to lack the willpower to avoid overeating.

She also told People that she once thought weight-loss medication was like “cheating” and taking “the easy way out.” 

However, she later realized that the weight management medication felt like “relief” and “redemption.”

"I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself,” Oprah said.

Oprah has lost nearly 50 pounds (22 kg) through a combination of fitness, lifestyle changes, and the GLP-1 medication, as per Women’s Health.

Remi explained that she hesitated to undergo bariatric surgery, given that she had built her social media following as a plus-sized influencer.

"I loved being curvy my whole life; I just did. It was who I was... I will always believe that you could be a bigger size and be healthy and happy," she told Self.

"I was for a while, that wasn’t a lie. But there was a point when it shifted, and I became really unhappy."

Remi, who went viral for her realistic clothing hauls, also posted a transformation video that showed her exercising before and after her operation.

"Don't let anyone ever tell you surgery is the easy way out. I worked hard to get here and i'm forever proud of myself 🩷," she captioned the post.

Ariana’s body became a talking point during her entire Wicked press tour.

Whenever she appeared on a red carpet or gave an interview, viewers expressed concern about potential health issues, pointing out the star appeared worryingly thin.

Ariana addressed the online commentary in a 2024 interview in which she discussed one of the most “dangerous” aspects of fame.

“I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all,” she said, visibly emotional.

“I have heard it all. I’ve heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons.”

Michelle’s career spans over four decades, with roles in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

More recently, she portrayed Madame Morrible in Wicked and its sequel, Wicked: For Good.

Following Michelle’s appearance in both films, people began speculating about her apparent weight loss, noting she appeared "worryingly thin.”

“Not to body shame, but does anyone on the Wicked set eat?” someone wrote on X along with a recent picture of the Oscar-winning actress.

The comedian revealed that he had many failed weight-loss attempts, including joining Slimming World, WeightWatchers, and doing high-energy aerobics, before he finally managed to suppress his binge-eating habits.

Peter’s issue was so uncontrollable that he once found himself lying to his wife about needing to go to the toilet at the cinema only to buy a hot dog.

“I was doing really well with this diet, but I'm so bad with willpower. I had this hot dog and I caught a glimpse of myself reflected in, ironically, a framed poster for Babe.”

Following a five-year break from public life, Peter impressed fans with his remarkable body transformation in 2023.

Ashton made headlines for his “rough” appearance at the 2026 Golden Globes.

Some people attributed this serious and “unhealthy” look to guilt over his support for former That ’70s Show co-star Danny Masterson, who was convicted on charges of r*ping two women.

Following Danny’s conviction, it emerged that Ashton and his wife, Mila Kunis, had both submitted character reference letters to the judge.

In 2022, Ashton revealed that two years earlier he had been diagnosed with vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), which had impaired his hearing, vision, and mobility for a year.

The actress and host of The View has lost approximately 180 pounds (80 kg) with the help of Mounjaro.

Whoopi revealed that, at one point, one of her friends expressed concern over her lack of appetite caused by the weight-loss jab, telling her, “You need to eat something."

However, the Ghost star does not regret her decision, explaining that the medication had positive effects on her body after previously weighing 300 pounds (136 kg).

Her wake-up call reportedly came when someone thought she was wearing a “fat suit” when filming the 2022 drama Till.

Before taking Mounjaro, Whoopi tried a “one pound a day diet” and shed about 35 pounds (15 kg).

As was the case with Ariana Grande, her 39-year-old Wicked co-star also sparked conversation about an alleged physical transformation.

“I’m sure being a co-star constantly posing next to a popular and extremely petite co-star probably makes you extra aware of your own body. Being skinny can be a competition sometimes,” one Redditor suggested.

“I believe the producers and directors wanted both women to be as slim as possible,” said another.

In her book, Simply More, the Tony winner discussed the dangers of body-shaming, writing, “In today's society, there's a degree of ease involved in commenting on others. It's hard to protect yourself from that noise.”