Driving cabs, hanging curtains, delivering flowers, and working as a nightclub bouncer were some of his previous sources of income.
But following a string of low-budget parts, D’Onofrio’s friend, actor Matthew Modine, urged him to submit an audition video to Stanley Kubrick, who was casting for his next big hit at the moment.
Though there were certain limitations, the 6-foot-3, very fit D’Onofrio was chosen to play the fat, dimwitted Leonard.
For D’Onofrio, working with Kubrick changed his life since it allowed him to fully enter his part and refine his acting abilities in a rigorous environment.
In addition to shaving his gorgeous full head of hair, the 64-year-old father of three had to put on 70 to 80 pounds, which is still the most weight an actor has ever taken on for a role.
Early on, [Kubrick] asked me whether I would be OK gaining this weight, so I went over there and put on around thirty pounds.
