Russell Crowe was scared into shape after piling on the pounds for 2008 movie Body Of Lies - because he gained so much weight, he struggled to even climb out of his car.

The Gladiator star's weight has fluctuated over the last 10 years due to yo-yo dieting for different movie roles. Crowe bulked up to play an overweight spy in Body of Lies - and admits he got so fat he got stuck in his own car.

The embarrassing accident forced the star to undergo a health check and he discovered his cholesterol levels were dangerously high.

Crowe says, "At one point I worried about it from a health point of view because I had my cholesterol checked. It had reached dangerous territory. I was surprised that my body was taking all of it so seriously. I was enjoying myself, because I was eating and drinking what I liked, but my body was objecting."

"The most frightening thing was having to rock back and forwards to get out of a car. Instead of stepping out, I had to tip myself out."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)