Rebel Wilson reveals the reason she lost weight after iconic 'Fat Amy' role

Rebel Wilson shared the truth behind why she lost weight at last night's Baftas, after revealing that 'everyone' has been asking for an explanation.

The Australian actor didn't hold back during her hosting of the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2022 on Sunday, addressing the speculation on her recent weight loss with the best comeback there is—comedy. 

Buzz over her hilarious monologue, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London yesterday evening, comes after Rebel Wilson's brutal joke about Prince Andrew from the annual awards show in 2020 resurfaced online. 

"I might look a bit different from the last time you guys saw me here," she told the audience last night, nodding to a red carpet photo of herself taken before she lost weight. 

"Everybody's asking me, 'Why did you lose weight?' Well, clearly, it was to get the attention of Robert Pattinson. Because you know what they say, once you go bat, you don't go back." 

It was at this point that Rebel clarified that, in reality, her body transformation had nothing to with romance—and all to do with her career. 

"Seriously, I did not lose weight just for a guy. As if," the 42-year-old entertainer continued. "I did it to get more acting roles. I'm now so excited I can play the non-funny love interest in an Adam Sandler movie." 

It's no secret that Rebel has undergone a dramatic physical change as of late, shedding a whopping 77lb (35kg) since kicking off her 'Year of Health' in January 2020. The Bridesmaids star, now 165lb (74kg), has spoken publicly about the journey on multiple occasions in the past—revealing she uses walking for weight loss and has completely reset her relationship with food. 

In August 2020, Rebel shared a photo of herself at her 'unhealthiest' alongside a motivational message for others struggling with similar issues. 

She has since criticized her Hollywood team for discouraging her from losing weight, out of fear that it would negatively impact her job prospects. Rebel rose to international fame in 2012 with her portrayal of 'Fat Amy' in the comedy film, Pitch Perfect, after gaining recognition from casting directors with her performance as Brynn in Kristin Wiig's Bridesmaids. Both characters were known for their larger bodies—a trait that seemed inextricably tied to their comedic value. With the pressure mounting for her to continue landing similar roles, she recalls facing 'pushback' against slimming down. 

"They [Rebel's team] were like, 'Why? Why would you want to do it?'" she said during a recent interview with the BBC. "Because I was earning millions of dollars being the funny fat girl and being that person."

Since losing weight, Rebel has already noticed she's been offered a wider range of roles. 

"It has definitely diversified my stocks," she told the Hollywood Reporter last week. "I found that with the British drama The Almond and the Seahorse—I’m not sure I would have been cast in that when I was a bigger girl because they kind of stereotype you a bit more when you’re bigger. But when I started as an actress I really wanted to be the next Dame Judi Dench and do really serious stuff. And so now I’m returning to that a bit, which is great, but still doing comedies that I love."