Jesse Plemons addresses ‘unfortunate’ Ozempic rumors amid his weight loss journey

Jesse Plemons has addressed speculation he used type 2 diabetes medication Ozempic amid his weight loss journey.

The actor, 36, discussed the rumors in an interview with the Los Angeles Times on 13 June. Speaking to the outlet, Plemons revealed that his recent physical transformation was simply due to a lifestyle change and not with the help of the semaglutide injection, which has become widely popular for its “off-label” weight loss side effects.

“It’s really unfortunate that I decided to get healthy when everyone decided to take Ozempic,” he said. “It doesn’t matter, everyone’s going to think I took Ozempic anyways.”

Plemons explained that his fitness journey was motivated by his age, as well as his role in the newly-released A24 drama, Civil War. “But what it was was getting older and – I hate even getting specific because then it turns into a whole thing, but there was a part that I did that in my mind I could not imagine him as the size that I was,” he said about his portrayal of an unnamed, gun-toting soldier in the 2024 film.

The father of two credited intermittent fasting, a well-known practice in which all food is eaten within an eight-hour window, as helping him in his health journey.

“Several people talked to me about intermittent fasting and I just gave it a shot and [was] surprised at how quickly it was effective,” Plemons said. “So I lost a little bit before I did that part and then felt like I was in the rhythm, I was feeling better, and something shifted in my head. I just sort of got a handle on it.”

While Plemons – who shares sons Ennis, six, and James, three, with wife Kirsten Dunst – has since shut down the Ozempic rumors, several other celebrities have admitted to using the once-weekly injection to help aid their weight loss goals.

The medication, which has been FDA-approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, works by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) hormone to regulate blood sugar levels and slow down the rate at which food leaves the stomach, often creating the feeling of fullness.

In December, Oprah Winfrey admitted to using a weight loss medication following career-spanning scrutiny over her appearance. While Winfrey didn’t name the brand she used to help in her weight loss journey, she still praised the medication for allowing her to live a healthier lifestyle.

“The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for. I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself,” she told People at the time.

Winfrey later stepped down from her position on the board of WeightWatchers after nearly a decade due to her ABC special about prescription weight loss medications.

In addition to Ozempic, prescription medications Wegovy and Mounjaro have also risen in popularity for their weight loss side effects. Wegovy is another semaglutide injection specifically approved for the treatment of obesity and weight loss, while Mounjaro is the first diabetes drug to target a second hormone, GIP.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the most common side effects of taking weight loss medication include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness and digestive disorders.

The FDA has also warned about more serious complications that can occur from the use of the Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumors”, pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behavior or thinking.

Taking Ozempic can also lead to possible thyroid tumors, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems.