O’Shea Jackson Jr., the son of O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson Sr., has made a name for himself as a movie star and entertainer.
His 2015 role in “Straight Outta Compton” landed him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. But it’s Junior’s appearance that’s become a main topic of discussion on the internet instead of his acting skills.
O’Shea, 33, appears in the upcoming sequel to the crime drama “Den of Thieves.” He starred in the first film alongside 50 Cent and “300” actor Gerard Butler.
Butler, 55, recently uploaded a video with Jackson to his social media accounts as a promotional clip for “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. 2.” But it seems fans’ attention has gravitated toward O’Shea’s apparent weight gain.
“We love this movie so much we’re already thinking up the next one,” Butler wrote on Instagram, hinting at a third movie together. “All ideas are welcome!” he concluded.
“Handsome, so sexy and hot,” wrote one commentator who enjoyed seeing Jackson and Butler together.
However, more opinionated social media users chose to share their thoughts about his co-star as many zeroed in on O’Shea’s apparent weight gain.
“Ice Cube’s son is turning into a BBW,” one person joked, while a similar comment read, “Cube Jr. lookin’ a little big.”
A third commenter posted, “My man put on some weight.” Yet another commenter suggested, “Omg. O’Shea needs to stop eating his success.”
The conversation about O’Shea’s bulky frame also took place on the X app. Someone on the platform wondered, “Did he have to put on weight for this role?”
Fans began to notice his weight change after he appeared in the Los Angeles Rams’ “Are You Gonna Be Here For It?” campaign in May 2023. It was pointed out again in July 2023 when the 33-year-old attended one of his dad’s Big3 events.
But the change is drastic compared to his appearance when fans first were introduced to him.
“Boy better get in the gym, he wouldn’t even land the ‘Straight Outta Compton’ role at this size now,” an X user recommended.
O’Shea broke out as a rising Hollywood star for his role in the 2015 biopic “Straight Outta Compton.” The Los Angeles native played his father in the film about the iconic 1980s-era hip-hop group N.W.A.
The F. Gary Gray-directed motion picture was a critical and financial success for Universal Pictures, earning a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016.
Additionally, “Straight Outta Compton” grossed $161 million at the domestic box office and $201 million globally. Ice Cube served as a co-producer along with Gray, fellow N.W.A member Dr. Dre, and others.
Jackson Jr.’s filmography also includes movies such as “Ingrid Goes West” in 2015, “Den of Thieves” in 2018, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” in 2019, and “Cocaine Bear” in 2023.
Butler himself admitted had to gain weight for the first “Den of Thieves.” In 2018, the Scottish actor told ExtraTV, “I had to put on like 25 to 30 pounds, and I had to do it kinda quickly.”
He will reprise his role as Nicholas “Big Nick” O’Brien and O’Shea will return as Donnie Wilson for “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.”
“I mean, since the last ‘Den of Thieves,’ you know, the bank account has been pretty good, where I haven’t had to steal a thing,” Jackson joked during an interview with WSVN-TV in Miami.
The film is scheduled for release on Jan. 10, 2025.
