‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Star Harvey Fierstein Shed 120 Pounds Using A Drug

Actor Harvey Fierstein has revealed that he lost over 120 pounds using a weight loss drug, shedding weight gained during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Tony-winning actor, known for his starring role in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” shared that the experience was different because he no longer felt like he was dieting.

Harvey Fierstein unveiled his transformation while launching the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab, a performance space at the Library for the Performing Arts designed to inspire artists.

Fierstein recently shed some pounds and revealed the secret behind his incredible transformation was “drugs.”

The Tony Award-winning actor, 70, humorously dismissed Ozempic before admitting that he’s been using “Zepbound” to help with his weight loss journey.

In a conversation with Page Six, Fierstein revealed that he gained considerable weight during the COVID-19 lockdown, reaching a peak of 310 pounds. However, after using the weight-loss drug, he managed to lose 120 pounds.

“I existed on the screen of my Zoom,” he said. “So I wrote my autobiography [‘I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir’], I did all the press for the autobiography,” he explained.

While he regained 15 pounds, he’s now maintained his current weight.

Fierstein revealed that he has had a long history of fluctuating weight, admitting: “I’ve been skinny before, that’s the sad part. I’ve been skinny, I’ve been fat, I’ve been skinny, I’ve been fat.”

Fierstein noted that his recent weight loss experience is different from his past attempts, which likely involved dieting.

“What’s different is what the drug does for you, which is I don’t feel like I’m dieting,” he explained. “I feel like a normal person. I can go and have dinner with friends and not have to eat every piece of bread on the table and then not go have ice cream when I’ve done with dinner.”

“I know what it is to be full like a normal person,” the actor added.

He shared his perspective on weight, saying, “People don’t understand that being fat is not a choice. It’s something that you’re body is out of whack and this puts your body in whack.”

Fierstein also expressed strong support for the medication, calling himself a “great believer.”

Fierstein shared his weight loss journey while attending the launch of the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab at the Library for the Performing Arts.

The newly opened performance space, designed by David Rockwell and funded by Fierstein, aims to nurture future artists.

The lab offers access to an extensive collection of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and a special feature: the piano once owned by Fierstein’s mother.

“The idea that in a public library, free to the public, it will be this room that you can go in and create,” the “Mulan” star shared. “Or find out if you are a creator. It’s not about producing something, it’s about producing someone.”

Reflecting on the project’s significance, Fierstein revealed that he hopes the performance space will allow aspiring artists to turn their “dreams into reality.”

He said, “From my earliest days of theater exploration, I’ve considered the Library for the Performing Arts’ priceless collection of scripts, scores, programs, and video captures an irreplaceable resource of inspiration.”

“My hope is that our theater lab can provide a cocoon where countless artists will develop their dreams into reality so they might one day emerge and take flight,” Fierstein added, per Us Weekly. “The knowledge that this unique resource will be free to all thrills me endlessly.”

Fierstein, best known for his role as Frank Hillard in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” played a key role in one of the film’s most memorable transformations.

Based on Anne Fine’s 1987 novel “Alias Madame Doubtfire,” the movie follows Daniel Hillard, played by the late Robin Williams, who disguises himself as the elderly British nanny Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire to stay close to his children after his wife Miranda, played by Sally Field, files for divorce.

Fierstein’s character, Frank, helps Daniel craft the iconic nanny disguise.

Williams tragically died by suicide in 2014 at age 63 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Fierstein continues to honor his memory, writing in 2019, “We lost this precious jewel 5 years ago. I miss him.”