He played his break-through role so convincingly that women ran from him, believed he was dumb

However, his popularity declined after it.
The 64-year-old ruggedly attractive actor claimed that the part demanded a significant physical change, which made him unattractive to the girls who had earlier flocked to him for his curly, black hair and athletic build.

Both extensive and varied, Vincent D’Onofrio’s resume is impressive. He always gives every role his all, and he can always blend in with the character to the point that you lose track of who he is. The actor, who was born in Brooklyn, began his career as a bodyguard for Yul Brynner and Robert Plant while also working many side gigs to support his acting aspirations.
He initially supported himself by working as a nightclub bouncer, flower deliveryman, drapery hanger, and cab driver. D’Onofrio’s buddy, actor Matthew Modine, encouraged him to submit an audition video to Stanley Kubrick, who was then casting for his upcoming major success, after he had acted in a few low-budget films.

A 6-foot-3 man The character of the chubby, stupid Leonard went to D’Onofrio, who was tremendously fit, but it had some requirements. Working with Kubrick was a life-changing event for D’Onofrio since it gave him the chance to really inhabit his role and hone his acting chops in a demanding and difficult setting.