Steve Granitz/FilmMagic Joshua Jackson said he gained 20 lbs. for his new role as former boxer Victor inKarate Kid: Legends He told theTodayshow that he ate 4,000 calories a day in preparation for the role, admitting, "It was harder than I thought it was going to be" Jackson previously opened up about gaining weight for hisDr. Deathrole, tellingThe Hollywood Reporterin 2023 that he increased his weight to 190 lbs. to play corrupt neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch Joshua Jacksonsaid he underwent a major change for his latest role. After wrapping up the first season ofDoctor Odyssey, he's starring inKarate Kid: Legends, playing former boxing champ and pizzeria owner Victor. To embody the character, Jackson, 46, said he gained 20 lbs. "I walk around at 175," he explained on the Tuesday, May 27, episode of theTodayshow. "I was almost 195 for the film." Jackson said he "put on all that weight" because Victor is an "ex-heavyweight" boxer. However, he was surprised to learn that bulking up wasn't so easy: "It was harder than I thought it was going to be," he said. "I was eating 4,000 calories a day." Still, Jackson said he welcomes the challenge that each new role brings. "The training part is the fun part of my job," he toldToday. "Every time you pick up a new job, you've gotta pick up a new skill. But the training hits different at 45, 46 than it did when I was in my 20s." The actor previously gained weight for a different role, tellingThe Hollywood Reporterin April 2023 that he "went from 160 pounds to 190 pounds" while playingChristopher Duntschin the Peacock true crime seriesDr. Death. Unfortunately, Jackson said, he also suffered a back injury after working on the show, which he suggested was a result of the headspace he embodied as the corrupt neurosurgeon. "A disc in my back exploded after finishingDr. Death.I think it's because I was so stressed out for so long, living in that ugly place," he toldTHR. "I couldn't walk for six weeks." While Jackson said the 30-lb. weight gain was "really not very good" for his body, he added, "But also carrying that kind of stress and anxiety around all the time is also not good for you." Jackson — who dropped to 155 lbs. during his "physically intense and demanding" performance for the 2018 Broadway productionChildren of a Lesser God— toldTHRthat he's realized the "emotional tax" can be higher than the "physical tax" for new roles. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The father to 5-year-old Juno, whom he shares with ex Jodie Turner-Smith, said parenthood changed his perspective on preparing for different character. "My life is different now because I have a child," Jackson toldTHR, "but I used to be able to go away some place and be off the beaten path for a while to help purge myself of an experience and that helped." Karate Kid: Legendspremieres in theaters Friday, May 30. Read the original article onPeople
