“It was just an insane diet”: Orlando Bloom denies using Ozempic for dramatic body transformation for ‘The Cut’ 

Actor Orlando Bloom has dismissed speculation that he relied on Ozempic or other GLP-1 medications to achieve his weight loss for the psychological boxing thriller film The Cut, which is now in theaters following its September 5, 2025, release. On Friday, the 48-year-old actor appeared on NBC Today Show to explain the extreme process.

“It’s called The Cut because it’s about cutting weight, right? And the fight is how do you make that weight,” he said.

Bloom disclosed that he had lost 52 pounds altogether to play the role. Describing his regimen, Bloom explained:

“It was cardio first thing in the morning for at least an hour.”

To this, host Craig Melvin asked, “Ozempic? A little Ozempic?"

Bloom swiftly rejected the suggestion, replying:

“It was cardio, it was boxing, it was weights, and then it was just an insane diet.”

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Orlando Bloom’s training and diet regimen for The Cut

The preparation that Bloom undertook to lose weight in The Cut took three months of a carefully planned and strictly restrictive program that led to a weight loss of more than 50 pounds. His routine included cardio, boxing, and weight training every day and a strict diet, created by a nutritionist, Philip Goglia.

Orlando Bloom in The Cut (Image via Paramount)

The plan slowly brought down his meals to two a day, then to one. During the last weeks before the shooting, Orlando Bloom was restricted to eating “just tuna and cucumber, that was it”, with water intake also severely restricted. All this was strictly watched over with weekly blood analysis to verify any risk.

The extreme approaches, however, took a toll. Bloom admitted the transformation affected his behavior and mental health, leaving him fatigued, irritable, and preoccupied with intrusive thoughts. He would later claim that the weight loss made him “a horrible person to be around.”

Mauricio Sulaiman

@wbcmoro

Today is the premier of a fantastic #boxing movie #TheCut starring Orlando Bloom who performed a knockout role bringing the real life drama that boxers suffer when they have to make weight… Oscar performance @WBCBoxing certainly recommends it

The filming was also designed to show the physical transformation, as scenes are filmed in reverse chronological order in a way that production commenced when Bloom was at his skinniest and most drained, before slowly progressing to a more normal weight.

Orlando Bloom clarified that even though the transformation worked in the film, the process should not be repeated by the masses, stressing it was “definitely not something to try at home.”

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Overview of The Cut

The Cut is a psychological boxing thriller film directed by Sean Ellis, who has worked on other films such as Anthropoid and Cashback. The story examines the physical and mental consequences of rapid weight loss in combat sports through the lens of a boxer who undergoes an extreme weight loss regimen and is grappling with its emotional impact as well.

Blending elements of a boxing drama and a character study, the film focuses on the theme of sacrifice, obsession, and endurance.

Orlando Bloom, who lost 52 pounds to fit into the role, plays the lead part. Orlando Bloom stars alongside Caitríona Balfe and John Turturro, who adds emotional depth to the story. They create a balance between the tough physical side of the movie and its more personal and psychological elements.

The Cut premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in Special Presentation on September 5, 2024. One year later, on September 5, 2025, it was released in theaters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, timed as a late-summer release.

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Stay tuned for more updates.