Michael Weatherly's character had a heart attack on the CBS drama Bull.

Based on Dr. Phil McGraw's early career, the show featured Weatherly as a lead character named Dr. Jason Bull. 

The ending of the show's second season saw Bull having a heart attack on the courthouse steps where he had just won the toughest cases of his career. 

While Weatherly enacted the scenario, the make-believe heart attack became a wake-up call for him to be conscious of his own health.

Michael Weatherly Lost Weight after On-Screen Heart Attack

In an interview with USA Today in September 2018, Weatherly gushed about the lessons he had learned after portraying the lead role in Bull. 

Initially, he shared he had come to an understanding that one shouldn't showcase all ranges of acting skills within the first season. 

He reasoned that a central character would look like a crazy person if the actor did so.

Next, the NCIS star weighed on the shocking heart attack of his character.

At first, Weatherly mentioned that his character had committed to being healthy and taking care of himself after the unfortunate event. 

Then, he disclosed that filming the scene impacted him in real life. So much so, he was motivated to improve his fitness during the show's hiatus. 

As a result, he lost 25 pounds during the break. But he also jokingly mentioned that he had packed on eight pounds before the third installment premiered on September 24, 2018. 

Michael Weatherly on Weight Loss 

While the on-screen health complication motivated him to lose some weight, it wasn't the first time Weatherly got rid of his excess pounds. He bade farewell to 35 pounds in 2014. 

Before that, Weatherly had admittedly gotten into some unhealthy eating habits. He ate pizza and Chinese food during his late working shifts and kept himself away from exercise. 

The 53-year-old had little time to work out at home as he looked after his new toddlers and wife, Bojana Jankovic. But he didn't work out even when he had time and equipment at his workplace. 

 I just tended to sit at the trough and continue to graze. That’s my long-winded way of saying things did get away from me.

When Weatherly realized the growing issue, he turned to his trainer, Juliet Kaska. Under her supervision, he cross-trained with sports like swimming and boxing. 

Also, he started controlling his food intake, giving up most carbs-filled foods such as pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice. In addition, he pulled way back from consuming alcohol. 

Consequently, the hard work and dedication paid off. Weatherly went from 240 pounds to around the 200-pound marker. 

He even partook in a triathlon held in Malibu on September 14, 2014. 

"I was really gratified when I went into wardrobe at the start of the season (of NCIS) and could fit in a season 1 jacket. That was 12 years ago!" he told people the same month. 

The famed actor added he had more energy and stamina than ever.

He also shared he understood one has to take time to take care of himself. "No one is going to do it for you," he acknowledged.