Ashton Kutcher was hospitalised after following drastic diet to get into character as Steve Jobs

In 2013, Ashton Kutcher portrayed Apple genius Steve Jobs in the biographical drama movie, Jobs, directed by Joshua Michael Stern.

The flick, which also starred J. K. Simmons, Broadway star Josh Gadd, and Marvel’s Elden Henson, saw Kutcher, now 47, dropping a stack of weight after adopting the businessman’s alleged fruitarian regimen.

However, the controversial diet saw the father-of-two being hospitalised with serious pancreas issues before filming had even got underway.

The fruitarian diet

The fruitarian diet is made up completely or mostly of fruit, as well as such nuts and seeds sprinkled in for good measure.

The extreme eating plan usually sees participants completely omitting meat and other animal-produced products from their daily lives.

The low-fat, high-sugar diet is not often recommended or endorsed by health experts, with dietitian Kate Patton explaining to Cleveland Clinic: “The fruitarian diet has a big risk of malnourishment.

“Because of this, the diet is not usually recommended by registered dietitians because it’s just not part of a balanced eating plan.”

Apple founder Steve Jobs was allegedly a 'fruitarian' (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Was Steve Jobs a fruitarian?

In Walter Isaacson’s biography, Steve Jobs, it’s claimed that the businessman was a fruitarian who would often fast for periods of time, sometimes weeks or days.

It’s alleged he would eat a few specific fruits at some time, while Kutcher has said he used to drink a lot of carrot juice.

Moreover, it’s reported that Jobs, who died in October 2011, would stick to these intensely restrictive eating patterns even while his health began to decline.

Ashton Kutcher experienced fruitarian side-effects

At the premiere of Jobs at the Sundance Film Festival, Kutcher explained that he sought out medical advice due following Jobs’ fruitarian diet to get into character.

"First of all, the fruitarian diet can lead to, like, severe issues,” he told USA Today at the time.

"I went to the hospital like two days before we started shooting the movie. I was like doubled over in pain.

“My pancreas levels were completely out of whack," the New Year’s Eve actor added.. "It was really terrifying ... considering everything.”

Kutcher elaborated on how ill he was during this period of time during an interview on Hot Ones.

Ashton Kutcher admitted he was hospitalised whilst getting into character (Open Road Films)

“My pancreas was like crazy out of whack, then I’m getting freaked out like, ‘Oh my god I’ve become Steve Jobs’,” he said, referring to the fact that the American died after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

What does Ashton Kucher eat now?

In 2022, Kutcher was training for the New York City Marathon and detailed his daily diet in a profile for GQ.

He admitted during the report that he previously had to undergo an 18-hour fast before eating during designated ‘fuelling windows’.

“I operate better under that,” he claimed.

When asked what his daily diet looked like, the Iowa native admitted he wasn’t ‘big on eating breakfast’ and would often opt for a smoothie.

For lunch, he said his wife Mila Kunis’ mum would cook up a potato salad and goulash or he’d heat up some leftovers.

“Dinner, my daughter is pescatarian, and so dinner is usually a piece of fish and some grain, and then like a salad, and then a nice beer or two. That's my diet,” he added.