Kelly McGillis is an American actress. She is known for her remarkable transformation from 263 pounds to 163 pounds. Read ahead to find out more about her weight loss journey, professional life, and more.
Early Life
Kelly Ann McGillis was born on 9 July 1957, in the Southern California suburb of Newport Beach. She was the eldest child of Virginia Joan, a homemaker, and Donald Manson McGillis, a physician. Kelly was raised in Los Angeles. She has two younger sisters. She has mixed ancestry, Scots-Irish, German, and also Welsh.
Education
She attended the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. She then moved to New York City to study acting at the Juilliard School and graduated in 1983.
Personal Life
She has been married and divorced twice, first with fellow Juilliard student Boyd Black in 1979, but divorced in 1981, and second with Fred Tillman in 1989. They have two daughters together, however, again divorced in 2002.
In 2009, she came out as a lesbian during an interview with SheWired. She entered into a civil union with Melanie Leis in 2010.
How Did She Gain Weight?
Multiple factors led to Kelly gaining weight. Firstly, she faced a long decline in her career after appearing in the movie “Top Gun” which may have caused her to gain weight. The reason could be that the actress might not have had any physical appearance standards to work for and live up to for a role. This gap in career may also have paved the way for mental health problems. Kelly revealed that emotional eating led to a notable weight gain. She was suffering from a binge eating disorder i.e. emotional eating.
Kelly’s Incredible Weight Loss Journey
Kelly shocked her fans with her drastic weight loss journey, she shed 100 pounds from 263 pounds. Kelly incorporated a healthy and balanced diet with a regular workout and plenty of water to transform herself. She followed a calorie-deficit diet for her entire weight-loss journey. She ate fewer calories than she burnt. This is the best method of reducing weight faster. She reduced her daily calorie intake from 2000 to 1200 calories. Along with this, she ensured that she was burning about 500 calories through workouts. In addition to these, she ate three meals a day involving lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Her dedication and proper routine eventually led her to lose about 100 pounds.
Career and Profession
In 1983, she made her debut appearance in the film “Reuben, Reuben” as Geneva Spofford. She rose to prominence after playing the role of Rachel Lapp in “Witness (1985)”, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. She is also known for her roles such as Charlie in “Top Gun (1986);” “Made in Heaven (1987);” and “The House on Carroll Street (1988).” Kelly has also starred in horror films such as Lake Land (2010), The Innkeepers (2011), and We Are What We Are (2013).
Net Worth
She has an estimated net worth of $4 million as of 2024.
Social Media Presence
Kelly McGillis is not active on any social media platforms. She lives a very secluded life away from the media.
Conclusion
Kelly McGillis is an established American actress. Although she suffered from weight gain in her career, she did not let it ruin her professional life and transformed herself with hard work and commitment.