If there’s one drug that became synonymous with 2024, it’s Ozempic. The brand name for the anti-diabetes compound semaglutide has broken all records by becoming one of the most profitable and sought-after products for weight loss in the celebrity world.
Netizens have been keenly aware of the rapid changes the drug is known for after several celebrities confessed to its use last year, and they've been accusing any star of drastically losing weight after taking it ever since.
Highlights
- According to netizens, many stars looked 'gaunt' at the 2025 Golden Globes, fueling Ozempic use rumors.
- Experts warn extreme weight loss makes celebrities look older, not better.
- Netizens express concern over stars' health, citing muscle loss and potential long term damage.
The 2025 edition of the Golden Globes was no different. With the event putting extra pressure on stars to look perfect, many showed up with much leaner figures, immediately setting off alarms.
“I would not be surprised if most of the celebs at the Golden Globes were using GLP-1 to look their best for the show,” a dietician said in an interview with the Daily Mail. “It is extremely effective for weight loss, even if you are already not overweight.”
Several stars were accused of using Ozempic after appearing “suspiciously gaunt” at the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet
Image credits: Amy Sussman / CBS Photo Archive
Top Hollywood stars such as Selena Gomez, Demi Moore, Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, and Ariana Grande were among those rumored to have turned to semaglutide, mostly known for its brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
Their slimmer features come as a part of a trend that glorifies more defined features, including thinner arms, sharper collarbones, and smaller cheeks. For experts, the telltale signs of Semaglutide usage are the speed with which the changes occur.
Image credits: Mike Marsland / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin
These transformations usually result in the person looking slimmer but without the muscle tone and firmness associated with a slower, less drastic approach to weight loss via diet and exercise.
Speaking with the outlet, plastic surgeon Dr. Dennis Schimpf refused to give the stars the benefit of the doubt, explaining that the lack of fat and looser skin present in actresses like Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman were likely the result of using Ozempic.
“The collarbones are very prominent, with no visible fat. That’s a clear sign she may have used a GLP-1 medication,” he said about Moore.
Instead of helping celebrities look better, experts warn that extreme weight loss causes the opposite, as the body loses the necessary fat to look young and healthy
Image credits: Leah Puttkammer / Amy Sussman
For Dr. Schimpf, the two stars who better exemplified the dangers of extreme weight loss were Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the main actresses of Disney’s Wicked.
“The subcutaneous fat that normally smooths out the bone is kind of lost, so it collapses,” he said when looking at their pictures, with both women’s ribcages and collarbones sticking out from underneath their skin.
Schimpf explained how losing excess fat benefits most people aesthetically but actually makes them look worse past a certain point.
Image credits: Kevin Mazur / Amy Sussman
Fans went from being impressed to worried about the stars’ health, with many believing the trend to be getting out of control.
“People will trade their health to drop five or 10 pounds. When people are of average or even underweight, and they choose to use these medications, it definitely takes a toll on their health,” one reader said.
“They may never know the consequences of their actions until later, and then it will be too late.”
Ozempic was initially designed to fight diabetes but became a commercial sensation for its appetite-reduction properties
Image credits: Robino Salvatore /Jeff Kravitz
Actress Kathy Bates was among the attendants who showcased one of the most impressive transformations. Bates has been open about her weight loss journey, admitting to using the drug for its original, intended purpose: fighting diabetes.
Semaglutide was initially designed to help patients improve their glycemic control. But in March 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration expanded the indication of the peptide to help obese people lose weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular incidents.
Ozempic works by first lowering blood sugar levels and then combining a slowing down of digestion with a reduction in appetite to achieve weight loss.
Image credits: Jason LaVeris / Dan Doperalski/GG2025
It comes with a host of side effects, which include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion/heartburn, and dizziness, among others.
A 2023 study by Goldman Sachs stated that the obesity drug market is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030.
The drug has become so sought after that Ozempic’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has become Europe’s most valuable company, with a market value that exceeds that of its home country.
Netizens were put off by the slimmer physiques of the stars, feeling they were harming themselves for no reason
Image credits: kyliejenner
“People are missing a bigger problem. Whilst these celebrities have lost weight, they have also lost significant muscle mass,” one user stated. “It’s not a good look unless you prefer to look older than your years.”
“Ms. Erivo looked especially awful. Yes, many of the stars, including Nic and Demi, are too skinny. It's quite nuts,” another said.
“I hope Cynthia regains her former healthy appearance because this really does her no favors.”
“You actually need some body fat to help fight infections. Your body takes energy from fat cells to boost immunity,” a reader explained. “People who go on these drugs and carry no fat are actually risking their health more than they know.”
“Kathy was the only one that needed the meds. The rest did it for vanity and are playing a very, very dangerous game. It’s madness.”
"Vanity is their curse." Netizens worried about the long-term effects that using the drug will have on celebrities
