Jill Scott and cheesesteaks

Philadelphia singer-turned actress Jill Scott had an interesting way of bulking up for her role as Mma Ramotswe, the heroine of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," an HBO film based on the books by Alexander McCall Smith

"We have this thing in Philadelphia, where I come from, called a cheesesteak," she told the United Kingdom's Observer. "It's steak and melted cheese in a roll. I ate at least two of those a week. I've never been a small woman, but I put on 30 pounds. Even then, they added padding to the hips, the heiney, the arms and the boobs."

The cheesesteaks did the trick. Smith saw Scott and said: "Mma Ramotswe, it is so nice to meet you. You are exactly as I imagined you to be."