Netflix’s winning streak of late has been almost unstoppable, with the streamer releasing hit after hit.
Whether it be Adolescence hitting almost 100 million streams and making its way into the top ten all time for English-speaking shows or Fast X being added and dominating the streamer, it’s been a great period for Netflix.
For those looking for the more hidden gems on the platform however, the week before last Netflix added one of the most legendary films of all time.
The movie is Full Metal Jacket, the Stanley Kubrick anti-war film starring Vincent D’Onofrio, Matthew Modine, and a stellar all-star cast.
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Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again star D’Onofrio’s role has been praised by many as the ‘best part of the film’, and his physical transformation for the part of Leonard ‘Gomer Pyle’ Lawrence was stark.
The actor gained 80 pounds to become the character, something which to this day gives the star the record for the most weight gained for a single film role.
The 1987 film focuses on a Marine, Private Joker, played by Matthew Modine, who witnesses the ongoing effects of the Vietnam war on his group of fellow recruits.
D’Onofrio’s Leonard Lawrence is a bullied overweight recruit, whose failures to adapt to the life of a soldier lead to devastating consequences for himself and his whole class of fellow recruits.
The character’s overweight stature was a vital part of the character, with this playing into his bullying from the drill sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman.
Speaking about the weight he gained for the role, D’Onofrio said that early on Stanley Kubrick asked him if he would put on the weight, and stated that he initially put on 30 pounds.
The legendary director came back and said that it only looked like could ‘kick everyone’s ass’, and that he needed to gain more, which is what led to the additional 50 pounds.
The weight gain had serious effects on D’Onofrio, who tore ligaments in his knees and took nine months to return to close to his normal weight.
It paid off as the actor continues to work today and Full Metal Jacket has been immortalised as one of the best anti-war films ever.
This also wasn’t the last time D’Onofrio put on weight for a role either, as he went on to put on 40 pounds for the role of Kingpin in the Netflix version of Daredevil.
Now, however, he has returned for the Disney+ version, Daredevil: Born Again.
Speaking about his return in the role, D’Onofrio said: “Our goal was Born Again and for it to have that same feel (as) the Netflix show, and so I was really just sort of waiting to do that again.”
Full Metal Jacket is available to watch on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, TV and Film, Film, Marvel
Michael Slavin