Darlene Cates

Darlene Cates is an American actress. She is best known for her role in the 1993 film Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, in which she played the title characters housebound mother.

Cates was born in Borger, Texas, to Truman Madison Guthrie. She grew up in Dumas. Her parents divorced when she wasyears old. She took solace in food, and her overeating led to obesity. She underwent gastroplasty in 1981, when she weighed 408 lb . She lost 99 lb but eventually gained the weight back and more, topping out at 548 lb .

Source: Wikipedia