Los Angeles: Hollywood heartthrob Jake Gyllenhaal, who looked noticeably thin at an event recently, said he had to shed more than 20 pounds for his role in `Nightcrawler`.
The 32-year-old actor said he went for a major weight loss for his role as a struggling, freelance video news reporter in the film, reported People magazine.
"I can only approach things from a mental place. Like I`m playing a character who`s hungry, figuratively and literally, who`s driven in ways to do things and succeed at any cost," Gyllenhaal said.
"And I think that defines a generation in a lot of way so I wanted to get their mentally and then have it transform me physically, because I am not one to rely on science as much as I am on just sort of instinct. That`s sort of the character," he added.
The `Prisoners` star follows the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale, who went from bulky to bony for their movie roles.
`Nightcrawler` to be directed by Dan Gilroy, also stars Bill Paxton and Rene Russo. It is set to release next year.
