Charles Melton Reveals How He Gained 40 Pounds for May December

Charles Melton‘s Riverdale days may be behind him, but he still likes an after-school snack. 

The May December star recently shared how he achieved his 40-pound weight gain for the role of Joe Yoo in the Netflix hit. 

“I ate a lot of favorite childhood snacks like Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, ice cream, pizza with popcorn on it,” the 33-year-old told W magazine in an article published on Jan. 3. “It was great.”

As for why he opted for snacks you may find in a lunch box? The actor seems to have thought it just felt right for the character. 

“Joe has this softness to him,” the star added. “The director, Todd Haynes, and I talked about what Joe would feel like, and it gave me an open opportunity to eat whatever I wanted.”

A diet fit for a tween may come from the nature behind the Joe character—whose relationship with Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) becomes the subject of a tabloid frenzy given their age gap and controversial beginnings.