‘Smoke’ Star Gained 20 Lbs To Display ‘Truthful’ Character Portrayal originally appeared on Parade.
Jurnee Smollett fully transforms into her onscreen characters, even if it means she has to change her physical appearance. The Smoke actress shared what it was like prepping for her role as Michelle Calderone in the Apple TV series, displaying her loyalty to her career.
Jurnee’s character, Michelle, is a retired Marine-turned-arson detective in the show. Given her character’s history, Jurnee knew she had to switch up her workout routine.
“She’s someone who uses working out as an escape, and she tries to push herself pretty hard,” the One Last Thing star told People in a story published on Wednesday, July 30, admitting she participated in “severe” workouts. “She’s running away from a lot of her emotions and pours it into different aspects of her life working out, but overworking out toxic relationships. She’s a workaholic and very ambitious. So, I knew physically that Michelle needed to have more of a muscular presence than I personally did.”
Before filming the thriller, Jurnee gained 15 pounds to prepare for the role.
“By the end of shooting, I was up to 20 pounds, because I wanted that part to feel more truthful,” she explained to the outlet. “She’s a loner. She’s a lone wolf. And so, yeah, she has a little bit of body dysmorphia.”
Jurnee stars in Smoke opposite Taron Egerton, who plays arson investigator Dave Gudsen.
The series debuted on Apple TV on June 27, and new episodes drop every Friday until the season 1 finale on August 15.
Smoke has been a favorite among subscribers on the streaming service as it rose to the No. 1 spot on the top 10 list two days after its debut.
“Well, Smoke is another hit for them. Every episode is exciting and keeps the plot moving forward. The only negative is that we have to wait a week between episodes, I like it better when they drop the entire season at the same time so we can binge watch it,” a fan wrote in an IMDb review. “Taron Egerton gives another great performance and a big reason why this series is as good as it is. Egerton is a big name that should attract people to this show, so hopefully it does well enough to get another season.”
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‘Smoke’ Star Gained 20 Lbs To Display ‘Truthful’ Character Portrayal first appeared on Parade on Jul 30, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
