John Goodman is different now. If you haven't seen a photo of him lately, you're in for a genuine shock. The man who once occupied every square inch of the screen as Dan Conner or the boisterous Walter Sobchak has essentially halved himself. It isn't just a "Hollywood diet" or a quick fix for a role. This is a 200-pound erasure of his former silhouette, a decade-long grind that has left him looking lean, a bit weathered, and remarkably vibrant for a man in his 70s.
Honestly, it’s a lot to process. We’ve spent forty years seeing him as the quintessential "big guy."
But John Goodman today isn't interested in being the punchline or the heavy anymore. While 2025 and 2026 have brought some scary health hurdles—including a nasty fall on a movie set that required emergency surgery—he’s still standing. Mostly because he decided, back in 2007, that he didn’t want to die.
The Hip Surgery That Almost Derailed Everything
Working with Tom Cruise sounds like a dream until you’re 73 and landing flat on your hip on a cold studio floor. That’s exactly what happened to Goodman while filming the Alejandro González Iñárritu film The Revenant (not to be confused with the Leo movie—this is a new project) at Pinewood Studios.
He was wearing stocking feet for a scene. He slipped. He came up parallel to the ground and just... hit.
"I started fearing the worst," he told Parade recently. It wasn't a stunt gone wrong; it was just a regular, boring accident that resulted in a fractured hip. The "Tom Cruise incident," as he jokingly calls it now, led to a frantic morning at the Cleveland Clinic in London. He’s been in rehab since early 2025, and while he’s back to work, he’s admitted to a slight limp returning when he skips his physical therapy.
It’s a reminder that even when you lose 200 pounds, you can’t outrun the reality of being a septuagenarian in a high-impact industry.
How He Actually Lost the Weight (No, It Wasn't Magic)
People love to speculate about Ozempic or some secret surgery. Goodman, however, has been remarkably transparent about the fact that his "overnight" transformation actually took nearly twenty years. He started this journey in 2007 after hitting 400 pounds.
His strategy? Basically, he stopped "eating like a scavenger."
- Quitting the "Barley Corn": He went sober in 2007 and never looked back.
- The Mediterranean Shift: He works with health coach Mackie Shilstone, focusing on lean proteins, olive oil, and lots of vegetables.
- Boxing: He’s obsessed. He hits the mitts for 60 to 90 minutes. He doesn't spar—he doesn't want to get hit in the face—but the footwork and bag work are what kept the weight off.
- The 10% Rule: He stays 90% strict but allows himself 10% "enjoyment foods," which keeps him from losing his mind.
It’s boring. It’s consistent. It’s incredibly difficult. He’s spoken about how he used to lose 60 pounds every spring during the Roseanne years, only to celebrate with a six-pack of beer and gain 70 back. That "yo-yo" life is over. Now, he’s just trying to "close the rings" on his Apple Watch like the rest of us.
The End of Dan Conner
The biggest cultural shift for John Goodman today is the finality of The Conners. After 37 years of playing Dan Conner across two different shows, the series wrapped up its seventh and final season in early 2025.
The finale was heavy.
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Goodman actually came up with the closing moment himself. In the final scene, the family members leave the iconic sofa one by one until Dan is the only one left. He looks directly at the camera and says "goodnight." It was a fourth-wall break that wasn't in the script, and it left the crew in tears.
"I'm old and resistant to change," he told People. You can feel the weight of that statement. For Goodman, the set of The Conners wasn't just a job; it was a place where he could "just come in and laugh." Losing that structure, especially after his house in the Pacific Palisades was damaged in the 2025 wildfires, has made this a particularly reflective year for him.
What’s Next: Beyond the Flannel Shirt
If you think he's retiring, you're wrong. He's voicing Papa Smurf in the 2025 Smurfs movie and has a slate of projects like Digger and Pope Joan lined up for 2026. He’s also still a mainstay in The Righteous Gemstones, playing Eli Gemstone with a gravitas that his younger, heavier self might not have captured in the same way.
There is a specific kind of "survivor" energy to John Goodman now. He’s outlived the sitcom that made him famous, survived a crippling addiction, and literally reshaped his physical vessel to ensure he sees his 80s.
Actionable Takeaways from John's Journey
If you’re looking at Goodman and wondering how to apply his "vibe" to your own life, here’s the reality of his success:
- Stop Rewarding Progress with Setbacks: Don’t "reward" a week of healthy eating with a weekend bender. Goodman had to break the cycle of using treats as prizes for discipline.
- Focus on "Life in Your Years": He stopped trying to look young and started trying to feel mobile. Moving for 10 minutes a day is better than a 2-hour workout you only do once a month.
- Acknowledge the Fear: He’s been open about his "nervous breakdown" from overworking and his fear of the show ending. Vulnerability hasn't hurt his career; it’s made him more relatable.
Goodman is proof that you can hit "reset" at 55, 65, or 75. You might limp a little, and you might lose your house to a wildfire, but you keep showing up to the gym and the set. That’s the work.
Maintain your physical therapy routines if you're recovering from injury, and remember that consistency beats intensity every single time.
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Next Step: Check out the final episodes of The Conners on Hulu to see Goodman's self-penned goodbye to the audience—it’s a masterclass in understated acting.