Anthony Anderson and Rev. Al Sharpton are two of the most talked about weight loss transformations in Hollywood over the past decade.
Anderson switched to healthier eating and began working out back in 2013, losing over 50 pounds. Meanwhile, Sharpton’s journey began a few years earlier after he cut out meat from his diet, losing a total of 176 pounds to date.
Fans of both men have expressed praise for their healthier lifestyle choices as well as concern over their shockingly thin appearances compared to the 1990s.
But seeing the two together during the White House Black Excellence Brunch on Sept. 13 had fans saying, “Looking good guys!!”
Anderson and Sharpton made their way to Washington, D.C., where President Joe Biden hosted hundreds of Black entrepreneurs and entertainers, including Marsai Martin, Iyanla Vanzant, Erika Alexander, Glynn Turman, and many more.
“Hey Rev……..who’s that young handsome fellow @anthonyanderson beside you ??” wrote one person in response to Sharpton sharing a photo of himself and Anderson on X. “Enjoy the company.”
In the caption attached to his photo, Sharpton wrote, “At the White House Black Excellence Brunch, talking with my friend, actor and comedian Anthony Anderson. He’s been here telling everyone that he’s playing me in an upcoming mini-series about my life. He’ll also be co-hosting my LA birthday event with Magic Johnson on 10/31.”
At the White House Black Excellence Brunch, talking with my friend, actor and comedian Anthony Anderson. He’s been here telling everyone that he’s playing me in an upcoming mini-series about my life. He’ll also be co-hosting my LA birthday event with Magic Johnson on 10/31. pic.twitter.com/h5u6g7brFy
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) September 13, 2024
To prepare for the role, one person joked, “He’s gonna have to lose another 100 lbs.”
Anderson is currently battling Type 2 diabetes and has been since his diagnosis in 2002. The “black-ish” star accepted Will Smith’s 12-week workout challenge during the pandemic in 2021.
At the time, he weighed 223 pounds and would share videos on Instagram of himself doing sit-ups, lifting weights, and viewing his new physique in the mirror.
Last Jan. in 2023, Anderson’s alarming and thin appearance drew comparisons to the late Chadwick Boseman’s unrecognizable appearance just before revealing his battle with cancer.
“It’s because of that,” he said on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” noting he was motivated to change after losing his father to cardiovascular disease from complications of being a diabetic. That motivation increased after his mother’s diagnosis.
“I was the first person in my family diagnosed with it and just learning to live with the disease and not die from it,” he stated.
The 54-year-old explained that he lost a lot of weight by employing simple workouts such as riding a bike and walking around Manhattan, where he resides.
“It made a huge difference,” Anderson said. “I lost a bunch of weight. So much that I had to get a whole new wardrobe. I felt so much better, and the eating healthy and being active got easier over time. It all just became routine.”
As for Sharpton, the 69-year-old’s battle with Type 2 diabetes began after his diagnosis in 1993. At one point, he weighed 305 pounds and now ranges between 129 and 130. He began by initially dropping 30 pounds during a 43-day hunger strike but then gaining it back during his presidential run in 2001.
“Around 2006, my youngest daughter Ashley poked me in the stomach and said, ‘Dad, why are you so fat?’ That kind of hurt my feelings,” he told People. “I grew up in civil rights and politics, so I’m pretty thick-skinned, but when your daughter says it, I started being conscious.”
Fans easily took notice of his “slim & trim” look, especially last year when he proved he’s still got it, dancing to MC Hammer’s “2 Legit 2 Quit (feat. Saja).”
Unlike Anderson, who has backed away from sharing his workouts and opted for sharing dance videos, Sharpton regularly documents his progress through exercise videos.
Discussing my weight loss, workout, and regimen on #WendyWilliams show pic.twitter.com/euapPcSjA0
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) October 24, 2018
During a 2018 episode on the “Wendy Williams Show,” the civil rights leader revealed that he cut out sugar and carbs from his diet, along with giving up meat. He insisted that he has seven grains a day via toast and salad.
Sharpton came under attack last month after critics accused him of losing too much weight and using weight loss drugs like Ozempic. But there has been no proof to that claim.
