Rebel Wilson reveals she deliberately gained weight to get famous

Rebel Wilson says she deliberately gained weight to get noticed in Hollywood. Photo / AP

She's never succumbed to Hollywood pressure to be thin.

Instead, Australian actress Rebel Wilson says she deliberately gained weight early in her career to get famous.

The 36-year-old has revealed she discovered the comedic benefits of being overweight when she wrote her first play and cast herself alongside an actress who was bigger than her.

"And I was like: 'Oh. That girl's getting a lot of laughs, a lot easier than me. What is it?' Because I don't think there's much difference in talent," she told the Telegraph in the UK.

"And I remember distinctly thinking: 'I think it's because she's fatter'. And then, I don't know if it was mega-conscious, but I thought: 'How can I get more laughs? Maybe if I was a bit fatter ...' And then suddenly I was fatter, and doing comedy."

Rebel Wilson has made a career out of being funny and fat.

The comedian says she has a hormonal imbalance that makes her rapidly gain weight. However, she says she can shed the kilos if and when she wants to.

"Oh yeah! I'll take six months off, and just do a total transformation. But then, so many people go: 'Don't you do it!' But I think: 'Why not?'" she says.

The plus-sized actress has become a household name thanks to her larger-than-life performances and impeccable comedic timing.

She's starred in a number of hit movies, including Pitch Perfect (playing Fat Amy) and Bridesmaids, and will appear alongside her hero, Jennifer Saunders, in the new Absolutely Fabulous movie.

The LA resident is currently performing in Guys and Dolls in London.

"I think a lot of the reason I get hired is because they know I'm going to embellish the script," Wilson explains.

"And I kind of think in Hollywood, if you don't have that ability, you're not going to last too long in comedies. You can be a dramatic actor, fine - it's not like you're going to be improvising: 'Oh my god, I killed my son'. But in comedies, if you're not adding, you're probably going to be a bit forgotten, in the edit."