People still can’t believe 50 Cent’s extreme transformation is actually real

    Fans of rap legend 50 Cent are stunned by the dramatic transformation he underwent for a 2011 movie in which he starred and co-produced.

    The ‘In Da Club’ star is best known for his music but has also built a notable acting career, particularly through his role as Kanan Stark on the Starz crime drama Power.

    Born Curtis Jackson III, the rapper made a splash with his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ under Eminem’s Shady Records.

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    The artist is known for being quite built, normally. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

    The Grammy and Emmy winner has established a highly successful career and continues to push boundaries with his projects, as highlighted by recently resurfaced photos from one of his past films.

    In Things Fall Apart, 50 Cent portrayed Deon, an American football running back with dreams of going pro and playing in the NFL after excelling at the college level.

    However, just as he is on the brink of turning professional, he falls ill with a genetic disease, which upends his life and shatters his football dreams.

    In the film, Deon battles cancer while coming to terms with his new reality, ultimately learning to find the silver linings in his changed circumstances.

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    The difference is unbelievable to see. (X/@50Cent / Steve Grayson/WireImage for BET Entertainment)

    The late Ray Liotta also stars in the film, but the major talking point is how much weight 50 Cent lost for the role, achieving the transformation without the use of CGI.

    The 49-year-old followed a liquid-only diet and exercised for three hours a day on a treadmill for nine weeks to achieve his appearance and weight, similar to Christian Bale’s transformation for The Machinist, where he lost 63 pounds (28.5 kg).