When Shallow Hal reached cinemas in 2001, it quickly became one of the decade’s most debated comedies.
Led by Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black, the film has faced years of criticism over its use of obesity as the central joke.
Paltrow played Rosemary, a plus-size woman whom Hal Larson perceives as slim and conventionally attractive after he is hypnotised.
The movie’s fatphobic premise came under renewed scrutiny after Paltrow’s body double, Ivy Snitzer, said the experience contributed to her struggles with eating disorders.
Paltrow has also spoken candidly about her discomfort with the film, describing her own performance and the production as “a disaster and disturbing”.
Snitzer later said she came to “hate” her body by the time filming ended and was left dealing with serious issues surrounding food and her health.
From a life-threatening eating disorder and a tragic death to performers who later expressed regret about their involvement, the film’s cast has been linked to a series of difficult stories.
As Shallow Hal approaches its 25th anniversary, here is a look at where its stars are now.
Gwyneth Paltrow (Rosemary)
Gwyneth played Rosemary, who appears slimmer to Hal Larson after he is hypnotised (pictured left in 2026, right in the movie)
Paltrow wore a fat suit to play Hal’s 300-pound love interest, Rosemary Shanahan (left), while Ivy Snitzer, pictured in 2001, served as her body double
Gwyneth Paltrow wore a fat suit for the role of Rosemary and later said she was disturbed by the way strangers treated her while she appeared heavier.
She recalled feeling humiliated as she walked through a hotel in the costume, saying that people avoided making eye contact with her.
The Oscar-winning actress previously said: “The first day I tried [the fat suit] on, I was in the Tribeca Grand and I walked through the lobby.
“It was so sad; it was so disturbing. No one would make eye contact with me because I was obese. I was wearing this black shirt with big snowmen on it.
“For some reason, the clothes they make for women who are overweight are horrible. I felt humiliated because people were really dismissive.”
Paltrow shares daughter Apple, 22, and son Moses, 20, with her former husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
By the time Shallow Hal was released, she was already an established Hollywood star, having won the Best Actress Oscar for playing Viola de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love.
She rose to prominence in her twenties during the 1990s, appearing in a string of period dramas and becoming famous off-screen as Brad Pitt’s girlfriend.
Her acclaimed performances, blonde hair, pale blue eyes and slender frame soon made her one of Hollywood’s most recognisable leading women.
Now 54, the California-born actress and Goop founder remains a prominent figure in the wellness world and continues to attract attention for her youthful appearance.
Jack Black (Hal)
Jack Black, 57, later said he was disappointed by Shallow Hal and felt the finished film fell short of his hopes (pictured left in 2026, right in the movie)
Jack Black, 57, has admitted that he was not entirely satisfied with his role as Hal or with the final version of the movie.
The actor said at the time that he “wasn’t proud of the movie”, explaining that it had not turned out as he had expected.
After Shallow Hal, Black went on to star in the much-loved School of Rock and formed the comedy rock group Tenacious D.
He married artist Tanya Haden in 2006. The couple live in Los Angeles and have two sons, Samuel, 20, and Thomas, 18.
Black has said that the project he feels most proud of among his film and television credits is the 2006 music comedy Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny.
“In a weird way, it might be Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny because that’s the only movie that I wrote,” he told People. “So, that one is actually my real baby. Maybe it’s not the best, but it is my proudest.”
He has also found worldwide success voicing Master Ping Xiao Po in the hugely popular Kung Fu Panda franchise.
Jason Alexander (Mauricio)
Jason Alexander played Hal’s best friend Mauricio, whose obsession with appearances mirrors Hal’s own preoccupation (pictured left in 2025, right in the movie)
Jason Alexander played Mauricio, Hal’s closest friend and a character equally fixated on physical appearance.
Now 67, Alexander is best known for portraying the unforgettable George Costanza on the classic 1990s sitcom Seinfeld.
George became one of television’s most endearing and recognisable misanthropes.
In 2024, Alexander said his most memorable George moment came in the season-three episode “The Red Dot”, in which the character begins an affair with a cleaning woman at his office.
“The one that I remember so clearly, because I thought it was so brilliant, was in an episode where George was working at the publishing company and he was having sexual relationships in his office with the cleaning woman and he got caught,” he said on the Australian programme The Project.
“If you’re writing that scene and you’re going, ‘Okay, I’ve got this guy George Costanza, what happens next?’ Whatever you would imagine, it wouldn’t be what they came up with.”
His other notable credits include Pretty Woman (1990), Jacob’s Ladder (1990) and Coneheads (1993).
Joe Viterelli (Steve Shanahan)
Joe Viterelli played Steve Shanahan, Rosemary’s protective and doubtful father, in the comedy (pictured left in 2002, right in the movie)
American actor Joe Viterelli portrayed Steve Shanahan, the wary and protective father of Paltrow’s character, Rosemary.
His filmography included Bullets Over Broadway, Looking for Lola, The Strip, Serving Sara and Analyze That.
Viterelli was married to Catherine Brennan before his death in January 2004 at the age of 66.
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Bruce McGill (Reverend Larson)
Bruce McGill, now 76, played Reverend Larson, Hal’s terminally ill father (pictured left in 2024, right in the movie)
Bruce McGill, now 76, appeared as Reverend Larson, Hal’s dying father.
The veteran actor has delivered memorable performances across film and television, including his famous turn as Daniel Simpson “D-Day” Day in National Lampoon’s Animal House.
His television credits include Jack Dalton in MacGyver and Detective Vince Korsak in Rizzoli & Isles.
McGill also played a conservative Republican congressman in Legally Blonde 2.
Rene Kirby (Walt)
Rene Kirby died tragically last year at 70 after spending two months in hospital with multiple infections
Rene Kirby died last year at the age of 70 after a two-month hospital stay involving infections and complications affecting his oesophagus, kidneys and bladder, according to his brother Jon Kirby.
He had previously battled throat cancer, and treatment included the removal of his larynx. In later years, he was unable to speak.
Kirby made a memorable appearance in Shallow Hal as Walt, a character who, like the actor, did not use his legs because of spina bifida.
His other screen work included the 2003 film Stuck on You and an episode of the television series Carnivàle.
Kirby was born with more than a foot of his lower spine missing. His spine was also detached from his pelvis, and his legs never fully developed.
His route into acting began after he met filmmaker Peter Farrelly in 1999.
Farrelly was filming Me, Myself & Irene, starring Jim Carrey, in Kirby’s hometown of Burlington, Vermont.
After buying Kirby a beer and spending the evening talking with him, Farrelly decided to cast him in his next movie. In a 2001 interview, he said: “He’s got a zest for life that is contagious and he’s extremely funny.”
Farrelly wrote a role specifically for Kirby in Shallow Hal, which he co-wrote and co-directed with his brother Bobby.
Because the movie focused on seeing beyond physical appearance, Farrelly considered Kirby a natural fit, saying the actor “epitomizes inner beauty”.
Tony Robbins
Self-help personality Tony Robbins, now 66, appeared as himself in a cameo as a life coach (pictured left in 2026, right in the movie)
Tony Robbins, now 66, made a cameo as himself, appearing in the film as a motivational life coach.
Although acting is not his main profession, Robbins has also appeared in Reality Bites, The Cable Guy, The Roseanne Show and The Sopranos.
He later featured in his own documentary, Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru.
Robbins was previously married to Rebecca Jenkins before they divorced. He later married Sage Robbins.
In 2018, he faced controversy over sexual misconduct allegations and remarks concerning the #MeToo movement.
Robbins strongly denied all allegations made against him.
Earlier this year, he appeared on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO.
Susan Ward (Jill)
Susan Ward, 50, enjoyed a successful acting career before leaving the industry in 2012 (pictured in the movie)
Susan Ward, 50, had a successful run in television and film before stepping away from acting altogether in 2012.
She left the screen to concentrate on family life with her producer husband, David C. Robinson.
The couple have a son named Cameron.
Before retiring from acting, Ward was widely recognised for her role in the ABC Family drama Make It or Break It.
Her additional credits include Malibu Shores, Sunset Beach, Going Greek, Cruel World and Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure.
Brooke Burns (Katrina)
Brooke Burns, now 48, played Katrina in the movie and first became known as a model before moving into acting (pictured left in 2025, right in the movie)
Brooke Burns, now 48, played Katrina and first found fame as a model during the 1990s before building a career as an actress.
She appeared in Out of the Blue before landing a role in Baywatch, where she wore the show’s famous red swimsuit. She later joined its spin-off, Baywatch: Hawaii, in a yellow bathing suit.
Burns went on to star opposite David Spade in Just Shoot Me! and appeared in the Hawaii-set series North Shore alongside the late Shannen Doherty.
She later moved into television presenting, hosting programmes including Tic-Tac-Dough.
Her personal life also drew attention. She was married to Julian McMahon and was briefly rumoured to be engaged to Bruce Willis.
Burns married film director Gavin O’Connor in 2013. His directing credits include Miracle (2004), Warrior (2011), The Accountant (2016) and The Way Back (2020).
In 2005, Burns fractured her neck in a diving accident. She was later involved in a car crash in Los Angeles in May 2014.
Her most recent acting credit was the 2020 television movie Roux the Day: A Gourmet Detective Mystery.
