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Rebel Wilson Reveals She Gained Weight to Get Famous: My Size Is an ‘Advantage’

Do what you gotta do! Rebel Wilson opened up about how fame has affected her career and her weight over the years in a new interview with The Telegraph on Saturday, July 2.

Related: PHOTOS: Rebel Wilson's Funniest Moments

The 36-year-old actress, who is best known for her role as Fat Amy in the Pitch Perfect movies, revealed that she gained weight early on in her career in an attempt to get famous — and it paid off.

Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards on April 9, 2016, in Burbank, California.

Wilson told the British newspaper that when she wrote her first play, she starred alongside a girl who was heavier than her.

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrities Who’ve Lost or Gained Weight for Movie Roles

“And I was like, ‘Oh. That girl’s getting a lot of laughs, a lot easier than me. What is it?’ Because I don’t think there’s much difference in talent,” she said. “And I remember distinctly thinking, ‘I think it’s because she’s fatter.’ And then, I don’t know if it was megaconscious, but I thought, ‘How can I get more laughs? Maybe if I was a bit fatter…’ And then suddenly I was fatter and doing comedy.”

The Bridesmaids actress, who described her prefame self as “athletic” with “strong arms,” also told The Telegraph that she drops a few pounds whenever she doesn’t have a role to play.

Related: PHOTOS: Funniest Female Stars in Hollywood

“I’ll take six months off and just do a total transformation,” she explained. “But then, so many people go, ‘Don’t you do it!’ But I think, ‘Why not?’”

Wilson added, “I saw my size as being an advantage whereas so many women see it as a disadvantage.”

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