John Travolta and Tony Luke, Jr.: Separated at Birth?

John Travolta's latest film takes him to Paris, the fabled "City of Lights," but his physical appearance in "From Paris with Love" may remind some viewers of a famous Philadelphia actor and restaurateur. Sporting a bald head, beard and a heavier frame, Travolta bears an eerie resemblance to Tony Luke, Jr., the Philly Cheesesteak King and the star of the critically acclaimed independent film "The Nail."

John Travolta sheds his hair and packs on the pounds for "From Paris with Love"

In his latest film, Travolta plays Charlie Wax, a secret agent that some people consider to be a loose cannon. Teaming up with a novice CIA Agent (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Wax heads to Paris to stop a terrorist attack, but his "shoot first and maybe ask some questions later" approach tends to cause more collateral damage than anyone expects.

When photos of each actor are placed side-by-side, John Travolta and Tony Luke look like brothers, if not twins. In a press release sent out by Lori De Waal, Luke's publicist, the Philadelphia born actor simply said "Well I know for sure I've been fat and bald for a while now. Don't know about Travolta?"

Physical changes are the ultimate special effect for dedicated performers

Although he is not commenting on his ability to make a cheesesteak as well as Luke can, Travolta is the latest performer to drastically alter his physical appearance for a movie role:

• Robert De Niro. While playing Jake La Motta in the biopic "Raging Bull," Robert De Niro transformed himself from a boxer in his prime to an overweight La Motta in his later years. Packing on 60 extra pounds, De Niro's physical transformation for the film was startling.

• Tom Hanks. Besides Wilson, his onscreen volleyball companion, the one thing that people remember about "Castaway" is Tom Hanks' dramatic weight loss for the role. Playing an efficiency expert for Federal Express, Hanks gave up his soft, well-fed frame for the lean, emaciated body of a man surviving alone for 4 years. In a "Time Europe" article from 2001, Hanks is quoted as saying "All it is is time and discipline."

• Charlize Theron. Although Oscar gold was her reward, according to an ABC News report, Charlize Theron ate Krispy Kreme donuts and potato chips to play the lead role in the movie "Monster." According to the ABC report, Theron had to quickly shed the character and the extra pounds for her next film, which required a strict diet and lots of training.

Sources:

ABC News, "Shape Shifters: Actors' Extreme Weight Changes," Luchina Fisher

Time.com, "Saving Tom Hanks," James Poniewozik