Vincent D’Onofrio is probably best known for his unforgettable role as the chubby and clueless Marine recruit in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. But after that iconic performance, his fame surprisingly took a hit.
The ruggedly handsome actor, who turned 64 on June 30, 2023, shared that the role required a massive physical transformation, which caused him to lose the charm that once attracted women who loved his curly dark hair and athletic build.
D’Onofrio’s career is as long as it is diverse. He gives every role 200%, disappearing into his characters so completely that you almost forget who he really is.
Born in Brooklyn, D’Onofrio started his acting journey on stage, performing in both off-Broadway and Broadway productions. To support his dream of becoming an actor, he took on a variety of side jobs, including working as a bodyguard for stars like Yul Brynner and Robert Plant.
In his early days, he made ends meet by working as a nightclub bouncer, delivering flowers, hanging drapes, and even driving a cab. But his big break came when his friend, actor Matthew Modine, encouraged him to send an audition tape to Stanley Kubrick, who was casting for his next big film.
33 years old.
— Vincent D'Onofrio (@vincentdonofrio) January 1, 2021
I'm glad I'm not that guy anymore. He was dumb. pic.twitter.com/xAYMCfklJJ
Standing tall at 6-foot-3 and in top shape, D’Onofrio won the role of Leonard, an overweight and dim-witted Marine recruit. But there was a catch—he had to completely transform his body.
Working with Kubrick turned out to be a life-changing experience for D’Onofrio. It allowed him to dive deep into his character and push his acting abilities to the limit in a challenging and intense environment.
To play Leonard, D’Onofrio had to shave off his thick, curly hair and gain an astonishing 70 to 80 pounds, setting a record for the most weight ever gained by an actor for a role.
“Kubrick asked me early on if I’d be okay with gaining weight,” D’Onofrio recalled. “I gained about 30 pounds, but when he saw me, he said I still looked like I could kick everyone’s ass. He thought I needed to gain more.” Reflecting on the transformation, D’Onofrio added, “I ended up gaining around 80 pounds, going from 200 to 280.”
Packing on all that weight wasn’t easy, especially when it came time to shoot the grueling boot camp scenes. What would have been a breeze with his athletic build became a tough challenge at 280 pounds.
D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Leonard—a chubby, mentally disturbed recruit—earned him praise from critics. But it also led to fans confusing him with the character.
“People treat you differently when you’re that size,” D’Onofrio explained. “My head was shaved, so I looked like a completely different person. I went from being a tall, lanky actor to a big, burly guy with a bald head. It was a very strange life change. Women didn’t look at me; I mostly saw their backs as they ran away. People even repeated things to me, thinking I was stupid.”
A year after the film, D’Onofrio had regrown his hair and returned to his original size. Despite the challenges, he credits that role with shaping his entire career.
“Stanley made my career, no question about it. I’ve done over 50 films because of him, because of that part,” D’Onofrio said, referring to his many roles in both film and television. He’s best known for his work on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001-2011) and Marvel’s Daredevil (2015-2018). His film credits include Dying Young, The Break-Up, and Jurassic World.
D’Onofrio’s personal life has had its share of ups and downs too. His parents’ divorce deeply affected him as a child. His mother later remarried George Meyer, a well-known American producer and writer, and the family moved to Florida. Growing up, D’Onofrio was a quiet, introspective boy who often kept to himself.
While living in Florida, he became fascinated with magic, learning sleight of hand tricks from Cuban performers at a small magic shop.
In the early 1990s, D’Onofrio was romantically involved with actress Greta Scacchi. The two appeared together in several films, including The Player and Fires Within. They had a daughter, Leila George, who was born around 1991 or 1992 and has since pursued her own acting career.
In 1997, D’Onofrio married Dutch model Carin van der Donk. They had their first son in 1999, but their relationship faced challenges in the early 2000s, leading to a separation. The couple later reconciled and had a second son in 2008.
In June 2023, D’Onofrio filed for divorce in Manhattan Supreme Court, ending his 26-year marriage to Carin van der Donk.
Despite the ups and downs in his personal life, D’Onofrio has continued to shine on screen. He appeared alongside Sandra Bullock in the 2021 film The Unforgivable and will be in the soon-to-be-released comedy Dumb Money.
Vincent D’Onofrio was nothing short of amazing in Full Metal Jacket, and his portrayal of Leonard’s mental decline was chillingly believable. He may look different now, decades later, but his performances are still a joy to watch!
What do you think about his portrayal of Leonard, the dumb, fat Marine recruit?
