Harvey Fierstein is looking noticeably slimmer, and the actor credits his weight loss to a weight-loss drug. In an exclusive interview with Page Six on Tuesday, the Tony Award-winning actor shared that he is using Zepbound, a drug he described after jokingly dismissing Ozempic.
The 70-year-old actor and playwright opened up about his weight loss journey, explaining that he gained significant weight during the COVID-19 lockdown. Fierstein, who previously weighed about 310 pounds, lost 120 pounds with the help of the drug. However, he later regained about 15 pounds and has maintained that weight.
“I existed on the screen of my Zoom,” Fierstein said, recalling how he spent much of the pandemic. “I wrote my autobiography (I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir), and I did all the press for it.”
Known for his love of quilting, Fierstein has struggled with his weight over the years. He admitted that he’s had fluctuating body sizes, saying, “I’ve been skinny, I’ve been fat, I’ve been skinny, I’ve been fat.” But he emphasized that this time feels different.
“What’s different is what the drug actually does for you,” he explained. “I don’t feel like I’m dieting. I feel like a normal person. I can go out with friends, have dinner, and not eat everything on the table. I know what it feels like to be full, like a normal person.”
Fierstein also expressed his belief that being overweight is not a choice. “People don’t understand that being fat is not a choice. It’s something that happens when your body is out of balance, and this drug helps put it back in balance.”
Fierstein shared the details of his weight loss while promoting the opening of the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab at the Library for the Performing Arts. The new performance space, designed by David Rockwell and funded by Fierstein, is dedicated to supporting the next generation of artists.
The lab offers access to a wealth of Broadway and Off-Broadway materials, along with a special feature: the piano that once belonged to Fierstein’s mother.
“This is a place where anyone can come and create,” Fierstein said. “It’s not about producing something. It’s about producing someone.”
