Matthew McConaughey really does suffer for his art - the actor has lost 30 pounds to play an AIDs sufferer in 'The Dallas Buyers Club' - and looks unrecognisable as a result.

The usually buff star - who has been on an extreme diet to play AIDs patient Ron Woodruff in the film - was spotted on set in New Orleans.

matthew mcconaughey

Matthew McConaughey on the set of 'The Dallas Buyers Club'

And just a few days earlier, the star went unnoticed as he caught a flight from LAX looking a shadow of his former self.

Matthew has shed the weight thanks to a high-protein, low carb diet and sticking to cardio workouts.

matthew mcconaughey

The star went unnoticed as he caught a flight from LAX

Speaking about the challenging role to US Weekly, he said: "I'm playing a guy who was sick and would have loved to have been healthier but wasn't.

"For me, it's more of a mental thing than a physical thing. I'll get down to the weight I need to get to. I'm on my way, and it's what I need to do for the job."

Meanwhile a source told People: "Matthew's at his absolute lowest weight. In a month, he'll begin to put it back on."

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  • Former Emmerdale actress Pauline Quirke lost several stone after being told she was morbidly obese.

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