Mel Gibson has said he has been told to “stop eating” after he “put on so much weight” ahead of his new movie role as Santa Claus.
The Oscar winning actor, who rose to fame playing tough guy roles in his earlier films, has been eating as much as he can ahead of his leading role in his latest film, Fatman.
However, Eshom and Ian Nelms, who are sibling filmmakers behind the movie Fatman, have told Mel he is already the ideal weight to play Santa.
Speaking to The Sun, the 64-year-old, who was once People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1985, described himself these days as “reasonably porky”.
Mel Gibson has been told to stop eating so much (Image: Getty Images)
He told the publication: “I am reasonably porky.
“I said to the boys, ‘Hey should I eat more ice cream and cookies?’
“But they said, ‘No you are perfect. Leave it like that.
“‘Just because we call it Fatman does not mean you have to be obese’.
“Believe me, I have the post -0 years of age insulin gut. Don’t worry — I am carrying.”
Mel plays Santa Claus in Fatman (Image: GETTY IMAGES)
The new film, which is available on Amazon Prime, sees Mel play a boozy and troubled Santa.
His character is surrounded by his children who lack good behaviour and are little terrors, problems with his wife and also a hitman who has been hired to kill him by an angry 12-year-old kid.
Mel went on to tell the publication about how he feels playing the part.
He said it’s been fun to play the “humanity” of who Santa is.
Mel said: “For me, it was taking an iconic character and examining the reality of who that guy might really be if he had the rest of the problems that most of the world has.
“Like if he has a mortgage to pay, if he’s got a sore back, if he’s fighting with his wife.
“It examines the humanity of who Santa might be without the big fantasy legend.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
