Tatum: Movie transformation shocked me

Channing Tatum went through a “dramatic transformation” for his latest movie role.

The actor plays driven businessman Martin Taylor in Side Effects, a drama which sees a couple thrown into turmoil when Martin’s wife Emily – played by Rooney Mara - is prescribed a new drug by her psychiatrist. The drug has an unexpected effect on Emily, which in turn impacts on Martin.

Channing has revealed the movie was a real challenge and he enjoyed immersing himself in the role.

“I found it fascinating to play this very ambitious Wall Street type. I changed his accent and the way I walked and how I reacted to everything,” he told the UK edition of OK! magazine. “It was about as drastic a transformation as I’ve ever attempted to play a character and it’s given me confidence as an actor to know I can push past my own sense of limitations.”

Channing went on to explain how different his Side Effects character is to his role in Magic Mike. He played a hulking stripper in the hit comedy drama, which was based on his own experiences of the industry.

“I didn’t have to think too hard about the guy I play in Magic Mike because so much of that story was how my own world evolved and the things I was going through,” he explained. “I loved making that movie because it gave me a chance to relive some of those experiences and also for me to see how far I’ve come since I was that guy.”

Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones also appear in Side Effects, which is directed by Steven Soderbergh.