Paul Giamatti's Weight Loss Has Been Noticed by His Fans & a Colleague

Paul Giamatti's weight loss during the mid-season hiatus of "Billions" in 2020 did not affect his ability to play the relentless US attorney, Chuck Rhoades. However, it was not adequately addressed on the hit show to some fans' liking.

While filming the eighth episode of 12 of its fifth season, "Billions" had to shut down production due to the COVID-19 restrictions on March 9, 2020. Paul Giamatti returned to the show a year later with a lack of facial hair and a slimmed-down physique.

The character actor has had to comment on his looks and weight since he left the theater for Hollywood productions. He knows that being an actor is all about looks in some quarters.

Paul Giamatti's Colleague Also Noticed His Weight Loss

After "Billions'" returned from hiatus in September 2021, Stephen Colbert asked Giamatti if anyone "changed haircuts or anything" when they returned to set on March 9, 2021. With a scoff, the actor replied:

"Yeah, well, I did, I did. I shaved my beard; I did all kinds of things."

The star's elusive answer reflected how his significant changes were written into the storyline, a throwaway line about him getting a shave. Fans of the Showtime drama took to social media to discuss "all the kinds of things" the star had done during the hiatus.

The Hill journalist, Zack Budryk, tweeted a "probably missing his old glasses" meme from "The Simpsons" to express his thoughts on the production's decision to address the actor's weight loss by having other characters comment on his clean shave.

A reviewer opined that a slimmed-down Giamatti without a beard and white hair was "not as charming!" While a fan claimed that the change had them "shook."

Another fan tweeted his confusion about the actor's radical transformation during the second half of the season. One of his followers retorted, "even fictional characters are stressing over the markets."

"Billions" season regular Rob Morrow is often scene partners with Giamatti, and as their characters are foodies, they are more often than not at an exquisite New York City eatery.

Morrow revealed that, unlike most actors, he doesn't pretend to eat during scenes like this, which meant he once had to eat five peaking ducks while filming in Chinatown. He did not elaborate if his co-star had the same acting principle.

Asked about Giamatti's noticeable weight loss, the actor sounded as shocked as everyone else. Due to restrictions amid the pandemic, he filmed his one episode in the second half of the fifth season alone, so he only saw the star's transformation from the commercials.

Paul Giamatti Had to Wear a Costume to Look Bigger

For his role as Santa Claus in the 2007 holiday movie "Fred Claus" with Vince Vaughn, Giamatti wore an uncomfortably large suit which an assistant had to help him get out of. He said the work found him, so he didn't have to gain additional weight apart from the suit.

He approaches all interviews with his dry, self-deprecating humor.

While promoting "Parkland," a 2019 bio flick about some of the events surrounding JF Kennedy's assassination, the character actor dryly noted that he did not have to pick up weight for his role, "No, I'm just fat. I'm just a chunky man."

Paul Giamatti Knows He's Not Brad Pitt

In at least two interviews, Giamatti has jested that he is not Brad Pitt, the actor Shania Twain has used as shorthand for a handsome man in a hit song. He is often asked to comment on being typecast, and he believes that though many of his roles as "dark, weird guys," they are very different. He continued:

“I guess my other response is if I'm typecast, great – because I work. So it's fine by me if I am. It's better than the alternative.”

He approaches all interviews with his dry, self-deprecating humor, once quipping that his "really impressive" modesty was the trait he most deplored about himself.

In "Billions," he embodies US attorney Chuck Rhoades, a powerful role that he has not had the opportunity to play that often in his career. In Rhoades' private life, he and his wife, played by Maggi Siff, practice S&M, which only adds to the character's complexity.