Sumith Prasad
In Ali Abbasi’s biographical film ‘The Apprentice,’ Jeremy Strong delivers an impressive performance as the cunning yet vulnerable Roy Cohn, the lawyer and mentor of Donald Trump. The Primetime Emmy-winning actor is nearly unrecognizable to viewers who have known him through his portrayal of the bubbly tragic hero Kendall Roy in HBO’s acclaimed drama series ‘Succession.’ The transformation from Kendall to Cohn is immense, especially considering the latter’s physique in the biopic. Strong’s appearance alone communicates that the character is sick and weak before a diagnosis is shared in the second half of the film. This transformation is the result of the commendable commitment the actor displayed while making the movie!
Jeremy Strong Relied on a Starvation Diet to Lose Weight to Play Roy Cohn
Jeremy Strong did indeed lose weight to play Roy Cohn in ‘The Apprentice.’ The actor chose to change his eating habits to follow a “starvation diet” under the supervision of a doctor. Even though he hasn’t revealed how many pounds he lost for the biopic, he clarified that he didn’t “[have to] alter my body in that way” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. The actor had to undergo a physical transformation to portray the controversial lawyer authentically. During his research, Strong observed that the real-life inspiration behind his character was an “incredibly vain” man who did 200 sit-ups every morning. Strong also learned that Cohn not only maintained his weight but also “basically starved himself.”
Thanks to his research, the actor even knew how much exactly the attorney weighed, which served as the guiding light when he started to lose weight to portray the former convincingly. Strong agreed that his transformation was a “kind of dangerous level of rapid weight loss” in an interview given to TIME. Still, the performer seemingly doesn’t want the same to be discussed as the highlight of his performance, which explains why he hasn’t revealed the amount of weight he lost. “You have to put your body, which is your instrument, through things to render something precisely. But that stuff all feels cosmetic. The really important thing is the inner stuff,” Strong added to TIME. In addition to his weight-loss regime, the actor ensured that Cohn’s actual mannerisms and behavior governed his portrayal.
Jeremy Strong’s Attention to Detail Helped Him Play Roy Cohn Convincingly
When Jeremy Strong was filming ‘The Apprentice,’ he made sure that the improvisations he delivered as an actor were rooted in reality. Roy Cohn’s books and other historical materials guided the performer when he tried to ensure authenticity. Even “dead duck” or “phony as a $3 bill,” phrases the lawyer says in the film, are improvisations based on historical records. As an actor who encourages “fidelity to truth” when it comes to his performances, Strong improved his portrayal of Cohn with attention to detail. This commitment also meant that he stayed in character, a method that stirred an intense controversy when he played Kendall Roy in ‘Succession.’
“There were days where I was like, ‘Why is he [Strong] not looking at me? Does he hate me?’ Oh, he’s in character,” Ali Abbasi, who helmed the film, told the Associated Press. Strong described this method as “self-erasure” that demanded “a state of mono-focus” to change one’s nature altogether. However, it doesn’t mean that he lost himself to Cohn. “It’s all a game. It’s a game, so I don’t get lost in it. I’m in the boundaries of the game, but I’m just committing to that game,” the incredible performer added in the same Associated Press interview. Ultimately, it is safe to say that Jeremy Strong could nail down what exactly was needed to portray Roy Cohn without the shades of his previous characters, or even himself, for that matter.
Read More: Was Roy Cohn Gay? Was He Homophobic?
