John Goodman admitted that “eating alcoholically” led him to weigh nearly 400 pounds when he quit drinking.
The actor told The New Yorker in an interview published Sunday that he began his weight-loss journey before getting sober in 2007 at age 55.
“I’d lose 60 pounds in a summer, gain it all back — 70 pounds, 80 pounds — and that got tiring,” Goodman, now 74, said. “I took steps so I wouldn’t have to do that anymore. I was almost 400 pounds. I was eating alcoholically after I stopped drinking.”
He told the outlet he decided to get sober because he was “really immature” and drinking only “sustained that immaturity,” adding, “I wanted to live in ‘Animal House’ the whole time.”
“I got sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Goodman added. “The thing about instant gratification is you don’t really care [about] what’s going to happen right after it — which always led to bigger hangovers or me getting the shakes, and having to drink to get rid of the shakes, and that vicious cycle.
“I was in a position when I quit where I had to be hospitalized one way or the other. I just was tired of it, and I wanted to stop,” he continued. “I was delaying my maturation by drinking, and I had a lot of catching up to do, just realizing how selfish it made me.”
The “Roseanne” alum said he had been “overlooking real life,” adding that it was “great to see there was a life where [he] didn’t have to use anything to enjoy it.”
Goodman underwent stomach surgery to address his weight gain after giving up alcohol, but the procedure led to other health struggles.
“I also turned anemic and lost a layer of fat under my skin, and I’m cold all the time,” he said.
Want more celebrity and pop culture news?
Start your day with Page Six Daily.
Thanks for signing up!
Enter your email address
Please provide a valid email.
By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Want celebrity news as it breaks?
The “Big Lebowski” actor has since lost 200 pounds and recently showed off his slimmer figure at the Los Angeles premiere of “Digger.”
He posed solo on the red carpet and alongside his wife, Anna Beth, wearing a black suit, a striped button-down shirt and a gray tie.
Goodman had fans doing a double take in August, with social media users calling him “unrecognizable” in the comments of a selfie shared on Instagram by “Wizards of Waverly Place” star David DeLuise.
In 2025, he turned heads with his dramatic weight loss on the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of “Smurfs,” smiling for photographers in a navy blue suit, white collared shirt, patterned black tie and brown loafers.
The “Monsters, Inc.” star previously detailed his weight-loss journey, revealing that he hired a personal trainer, cut sugar from his diet and began exercising six days a week.
“I know it sounds sappy, but it was a waste,” Goodman told People in 2010 of his time as a couch potato. “It takes a lot of creative energy to sit on your ass and figure out what you’re going to eat next … I wanted to live life better.”
Image gallery

Brad Pitt is getting into some sticky situations in his return as Cliff Booth for Netflix.
The streaming service shared new first-look images for director David Fincher‘s forthcoming feature The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth. The film gets a two-week Imax run globally starting Nov. 25 before it begins streaming Dec. 23.
Quentin Tarantino penned the script for the new movie that also stars Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Peter Weller, Matt Groove, JB Tadena, Corey Fogelmanis and Karren Karagulian. Pitt reprises his role as stunt double Booth from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the 2019 Sony Pictures hit that Tarantino wrote and directed, with Leonardo DiCaprio co-starring in the initial movie as Western icon Rick Dalton.
Among the scenes teased in the new stills is Pitt donning goggles to maneuver a derby car on a dirt track. Another image shows Pitt and Debicki conversing at a bar, while a different shot features him on a tennis court with Debicki, Caan and Gugino.
The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is set in 1977, eight years after the events of the first film, and centers on Booth coming to terms with a very different Hollywood. Pitt and Ceán Chaffin serve as producers for the new movie.
“Let’s just say I know what it’s like to kill someone with a knife,” Pitt says in the trailer that was released online last month.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was a major success, collecting $377 million at the worldwide box office and earning two Oscars from 10 nominations, including Pitt’s first-ever acting win. It remains well-regarded and helped fuel the film careers for such supporting players as Mikey Madison, Austin Butler, Sydney Sweeney and Margaret Qualley.
Tarantino has explained that he opted against directing the follow-up film because he did not want his next directorial effort, which he intends to be his last, to be a sequel.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is settling into his new prison surroundings after being moved from FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey to FCI Allenwood in Pennsylvania. The 56-year-old rapper, who is staying in the low-security prison, reportedly lives in the general population alongside other inmates.
Sean Combs is back in general population following his transfer to a Pennsylvania prison
Diddy was placed in solitary confinement at his previous prison following alleged behavioral issues. Allenwood houses around 1,000 inmates, compared to about 4,000 at Fort Dix. The smaller inmate population could help staff keep a closer eye on Diddy, even in general population, according to TMZ.
Diddy’s representative, Juda Engelmayer, said, “If this information is accurate, we’re pleased to hear that Sean has returned to general population. His safety and well-being are always important to us, but we have no specific reason to believe he is at risk. We hope he can continue serving his time safely and without unnecessary disruption.” A Federal Bureau of Prisons rep told the outlet, “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not comment on the conditions of confinement for any individual in our custody, including housing assignments.”
The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that Diddy was moved from FCI Fort Dix on October 16. The transfer came days after his October 10 medical emergency. An ambulance reportedly took him to a medical facility for treatment. The Bureau of Prisons did not disclose the reason for Diddy’s transfer. However, the rapper had reportedly committed several disciplinary violations during his time at FCI Fort Dix.
Diddy is serving a 50-month federal prison sentence. A New York jury convicted him on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution in July 2025. However, the jury acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The Grammy winner was previously expected to leave prison on January 21, 2028. His latest projected release date is March 2.

An influencer who created the popular multiplayer game Stick Run died at age 30 after reportedly setting himself on fire during a livestream.
Manuel Otto, who was just 14 when he created his most famous game, is believed to have taken his own life while broadcasting live to followers on the streaming platform Twitch on Tuesday evening, according to reports on social media.
The German influencer’s body was found following a fire at a property in Bavaria, southeast Germany, after a neighbor noticed the blaze and tried to extinguish it, according to local outlet PNP.
“Stick Run is aware of a livestream on Twitch involving its creator and owner, Manuel Otto, in which he appeared to have taken his own life. We understand that Twitch has since removed the livestream and associated video,” Stick Run said in an X post on Monday.
“We encourage the community to refrain from spreading unverified information or speculation,” the statement continued.
“If you have any information that may help clarify the circumstances surrounding this incident, please reach out to us or contact your local law enforcement agency,” it went on.
“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm and announce the passing of our creator, developer, and fellow Stick Runner, Marc-Manuel Alexander Otto,” Stick Run’s official X page said in a follow-up statement on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Twitch told The Post that the streaming platform quickly removed Manuel’s channel and any video of his death.
“What took place is horrible, and the mental health and wellbeing of our community matters deeply to us,” the spokesperson said.
“We encourage anyone who may be struggling to seek support, and we offer tools on Twitch to help people connect with local mental health resources in their area,” they added.
“We moved quickly to remove the channel and Video on Demand to prevent it from being viewed by others,” the spokesperson said.
Otto created Stick Run as a free-to-play game on Facebook in 2010, and it has reportedly been played by more than 43 million people worldwide both on desktops and cell phones, according to Dexerto.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.

Kristin Cavallari apparently had a need for speed when she was pulled over by a cop for allegedly speeding in Tennessee … TMZ has learned.
According to the citation, obtained by TMZ, the “Laguna Beach” alum was stopped by the cop on October 14 while driving around in a black Porsche 911.
The reality star was cited for speeding … allegedly going 88 mph in a 70 mph zone.
Per the report, the police officer saw Kristin speeding on the highway in the number one lane and passing another vehicle.
During their conversation, the officer says Kristin told him she was on her way to her business. It’s worth noting the reality star has a store for her clothing brand, Uncommon James, in the city.
Kristin has been living in Tennessee for over a decade since moving to the state with her now ex-husband, Jay Cutler.