Comedian Lil Rel Howery is turning heads with his latest transformation, revealing a dramatically slimmer figure at a movie premiere months after his “Club Shay Shay” interview.
The Chicago native, who has been steadily shedding pounds, caught fans off guard with a recent social media post that showed his stunning weight loss journey, despite him steadily documenting his journey on social media over the last few years.
Howery shared his inspiring story with his 563,000 Instagram followers, revealing that his new body is the product of a radical lifestyle overhaul, daily workouts, and therapy. His transparent post struck a chord with many.
“This is my own appreciation post for myself. I’ve worked really hard on myself the last 5 years physically, mentally, spiritually, professionally and personally. I’m so proud of myself. This is the best I’ve ever felt and looked in my whole life,” the 44-year-old wrote in a post.
He added, “Honestly. To stop drinking, eating better, working out almost every single day, writing, building a closer relationship with God, therapy and honestly accountability has taken my life to a the next level of pure happiness.”
Rel advised against shortcuts.
“Whatever you do please do for yourself and if you can don’t take the short cut really put the work in this is a whole just straight hard work nothing else and that’s the honest to God Truth. Let me be an example of truly putting the work in,” he asserted, dropping a plug for his film, “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” which is set to hit theaters in August.
While many of the “Get Out” actor’s celebrity friends and fans showered him with praise for his dedication, a portion of social media users were skeptical. Comments ranged from light-hearted jabs to outright disbelief.
“You look hella good, won’t Ozempic do it?” quipped one IG user, while another remarked, “Lil’ler Rel.”
The comedy continued to roll in, with quips such as “Not even lil rel no more it’s ‘tiny rel’ now. they hating OG,” and “You not Big Back no more.”
One person wrote, “Why can’t people tell the truth on how they lost weight.” Lil Rel immediately clapped back, writing, “I did but y’all rather believe the bulls—t because doing something right is so unbelievable lol.”
Supporters rallied behind him, countering the negativity with comments like, “I’ve been following him for some years. He’s been working out and posting that on his page for years. Why he gotta be lying?”
The Shade Room posted Lil Rel’s pictures and more people were blown away by his weight loss, thinking he was lying, saying, “Boy got the Busta Rhymes special,” and asking him, “Take me to the Wizard of OZempic.”
A social media comedian joked, “This is a whole body transplant.”
Then some brought up his interview on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast in March and his beef with fellow comedian Katt Williams.
While some suggested he was just chubbier in the “Club Shay Shay” interview, the video indicates that he actually was not but just had an oversized leather jacket on.
Others said that Williams’ bullying over the years pushed him to get in shape.
“That Katt Williams interview had that man hit the gym,” one person wrote. Another person said, “He took what Katt said and ran with it.”
Williams made headlines in 2018 by calling Rel “ugly,” mockingly saying that’s the reason why he will never be “a star.”
“White people don’t believe in ugly stars,” the ‘Pimpin’ Pimpin’” actor said in an interview with Atlanta radio station V-103. “They think you have to be somebody that women want to sleep with and men want to be.”
It is not clear whether Williams’ remarks pushed him to get himself together, but the two’s riff continues to this date.
One person who encouraged him to stay on his weight loss journey was Beyoncé.
When Lil Rel lost allat weight????
— Nigga Targaryen (@FFunwi) July 23, 2024
In a 2022 “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen, Lil Rel said, “When I started going on my weight loss journey, Beyoncé, I think, gave me one of my nicest compliments.”
“When you’re going through that journey, people just love to just say stuff to you,” he explained. “And all Beyoncé said, ‘Rel, you look great!’ and that was beautiful and that’s all I needed to hear.”
She is not the only one who thinks he looks great. While many piled on the jokes about weight loss in the comments, the women gushed over how fine he looks now. The “A Hip Hop Story” actor is engaged, and his homie Beyoncé, her husband Jay-Z and her mom (his play mom) Tina Knowles were a part of the experience.
In December 2023, he, with his new skinny self, proposed to longtime girlfriend Dannella Lane at the Bey’s concert with the help of the gang.
