George Clooney says he ended up in hospital after losing almost two stone for his role in his latest film.
Clooney went on a weight loss drive in preparation to play scientist Augustine Lofthouse in post-apocalyptic sci-fi film The Midnight Sky, but then experienced excruciating stomach pains.
He was diagnosed with pancreatitis and believes his diet may have played a part.
He plays a scientist venturing through the Arctic Circle with a young girl. Pic: Netflix
Clooney told the Mirror: “I think I was trying too hard to lose the weight quickly and probably wasn’t taking care of myself.”
The 59-year-old both directs and stars in the Netflix movie about an Arctic scientist living on a deserted observatory station, and trying to warn a group of astronauts not to return to Earth after a mysterious global catastrophe.
It is the actor’s first film role since crime drama Money Monster in 2016.
Clooney admitted that getting ill was a challenge amid an already testing shoot, telling the newspaper: “It took a few weeks to get better and as a director it’s not so easy because you need energy.
“We were out on this glacier in Finland, which made it a lot harder work. But it certainly helped with the character. This is bigger than anything I’ve done before and it was like herding cats to get it done. But, you know, it was fun.”
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The Midnight Sky – which also stars Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo and Kyle Chandler – is based on Lily Brooks-Dalton’s acclaimed 2016 novel Good Morning, Midnight.
Jones, who gave birth to her first baby several months ago, shot the film while pregnant.
It will be in in select UK cinemas and on Netflix from 23 December.