Grey’s Anatomy debuted back in 2005, paving the way for many young actors at the time to enter the Hollywood spotlight. Since then, the medical drama has reached heights, not many television series can dream about. The ensemble cast is definitely one of the best in Hollywood. Jake Borelli is one of the members. He joined late but quickly became a fan favorite.
Since joining the cast of Grey’s Anatomy in Season 14, Jake has seen his popularity go up. And with that, the interest of the public. Lately, many fans are concerned about Jake Borelli’s weight gain, starting a debate about whether he is healthy or unwell.
What is the reality and truth behind the story? Let’s take a look.
Reader's Roadmap
Get To Know Jake
First, we have to understand a thing or two about Jake. Born in May 1991, Jake Borelli is an American actor, famous for his roles as Wolfgang in the Nickelodeon comedy series The Thundermans from 2015 to 2018, and Dr. Levi Schmitt in the ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. He joined the later TV show in 2017, and since then, he has been an invaluable part of the cast.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, he has two brothers, Zack Borelli, and Ben Borelli. As a young child, he enjoyed painting and art, but not much about acting. Because of his interest, he attended an art school. His parents Mike Borelli and Linda Borelli supported his interest and encouraged him to pursue it.
During his senior year, Jake won a national art competition. From there, he continued his education by graduating from Upper Arlington High School. He was accepted at Ohio State University and the University of Columbia. Yet, instead of trying college, he moved to Los Angeles and decided to pursue acting.
During his early days in Columbus, Ohio, he appeared in several shows with the Columbus Children’s Theatre.
Once he moved to Los Angeles, he quickly gained some supporting roles in television series like iCarly, Parenthood, True Jackson VP, Greek, and more.
But it wasn’t until 2017 that his career really began to take off. He was cast as Dr. Levi Schmitt on Grey’s Anatomy, a character he portrays to this day.
In November 2018, he publicly came out as gay on his personal Instagram account. It was just moments after the sixth episode of season 15 aired. In that episode, his character also came out as a homosexual.
Why Did He Gain Weight?
Levi Schmitt is one of the most beloved and fan-appreciated characters of the medical series Grey’s Anatomy. He arrived at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as a surgical resident, and he quickly formed a friendship with Jo Wilson and Nico Kim.
During season 19, he becomes the chief resident at the hospital, and viewers get to see another side of the character. But they also noticed something else, a change in his weight. So, the question became whether Jake Borelli’s weight gain is due to his character or his character became obese because of the real-life changes in Jake’s body.
While he looked quite lean in previous seasons, fans noticed that Jake and his character gained some facial fat.
According to some reports, he gained between 15 and 20 pounds. The reason behind Jake Borelli’s weight gain remains unclear.
Some theories suggest it was due to the character’s demand. In the previous season, his character developed feelings for Nico Kim, who began a relationship with Carlos. Trying to move on, Levi might have found solace in eating and gained some pounds. The theory, however, was never confirmed by showrunners and writers.
The transformation, however, doesn’t play a significant part in Jake’s character. We can conclude that the weight change was not due to the demands of Dr. Schmitt.
Not Letting Weight Ruin His Career
There is no official confirmation of Jake Borelli’s weight gain. But it is evident that the actor has gained a few pounds in real life. He must have gained weight personally.
And while his weight gain generated a mixed response from the viewers and fans of the medical drama series, he doesn’t let it change his life.
There was even a Reddit thread about it, with one fan saying, “Jake Borelli has gained a bit of weight, as people often do. Maybe he’ll lose it, maybe he’ll gain more. Were you even watching the episode about BMI? He’s not obese and even if he was, it’d be no indicator as to how healthy he is”.
Despite his obvious weight gain, Borelli’s portrayal of Levi continues to be exceptional in the latest season of Grey’s Anatomy. He continues to find a way to portray the tensions Levi deals with daily. Now that his character is the chief resident, the dynamics of his life completely changed.
Fans Showing Him Support
The moment season 19 debuted, fans noticed Jake’s weight gain. Some went as far as bad-mounting the actor, and even body-shaming him.
But the die-hard fans of the medical drama stepped forward and supported him. They want people to focus on his acting, not his physical transformation. And that is the best thing one can do about a celebrity.
Is He Gay?
As we said before, Jake Borelli came out as gay back in November 2018. His character came out at that time as well. He portrays a gay character in the medical drama.
Truth be told, his character was first involved with Dr. Wilson, which implied he was straight. But in the sixth episode of season 15, he shared a smooch with Dr. Nico Kim, played by Alex Landi. The passionate kiss served as a testament to the fact his character was gay.
Many fans supported the relationship, and they began asking whether Jack was gay in real life. Thankfully, just hours after the episode aired, he cleared the air, coming out as gay as well.
According to his Instagram account, Jake is in a relationship with Chase Williamson, a professional photographer.
Body Measurements
When you say someone has gained weight, you expect that to be completely changing for their body. And for that person to look obese. But if you look at the American actor, he is not obese. Yes, Jake Borelli’s weight gain was a popular topic. But exactly how much weight did he gain?
Jake’s body measurements are the following. He stands at 5 feet 6 inches and weighs 145 pounds. And if you look at the ideal weight chart for men, the Grey’s Anatomy actor is at the best weight possible.
Encouraging People
Jake Borelli is more than just a famous American actor. He is also an advocate and does work for mental health awareness. The accomplished actor made his name thanks to the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, portraying Dr Schmitt.
He was the rising star who joined the show during season 14. Since then, he has used his popularity to encourage youth and people of all ages to ask for help and support. Namely, he works and supports organizations that help people going through anxiety and depression. There is no shame in asking for help.
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