What's Behind Star's Metamorphosis?

March 16, 2007 — -- A Star has been reborn -- a radically transformed Star Jones Reynolds, that is.

The former co-host of "The View" is back in the public eye and barely recognizable.

Reynolds is flaunting an updated look -- a new body, haircut, clothes and glasses -- and a new job, hoping to reclaim the spotlight after her abrupt departure from the daytime talk show.

On the interview circuit, promoting her new Court TV show, Reynolds spoke with US Weekly about the big changes in her life and why she had made them.

"She used to hide behind long hair and a lot of makeup, and she doesn't feel that she has to any longer," said Bradley Jacobs, the magazine's senior editor.

Reynolds credits a routine of tennis and swimming lessons along with a low-fat diet for whittling down her weight even after what she called a "medical intervention" to drop 150 pounds.

Her new appearance made her an instant hot topic among her former co-hosts of "The View."

"We want to wish Star Jones congratulations," Rosie O'Donnell said on the show. "She just got a new job and she looks beautiful."

It's fitting that someone named Star would recognize how a physical transformation can lead to new opportunity and success, but she's certainly not the first celebrity to travel this road.

Kirstie Alley's surprising weight gain got her on the cover of tabloids, and even her own sitcom called "Fat Actress." When she became a rapidly shrinking actress, Alley became a household name as a spokeswoman for diet plan Jenny Craig.

Nicole Richie is another example of a Hollywood metamorphosis. She went from "The Simple Life" to the glamorous life almost overnight. But just as quickly, rumors surfaced of an eating disorder and rehab.

Reynolds says her look is more than skin deep.

"Star also told us that, 'My new look comes from a new attitude. It's OK to be smart, to talk about the things I care about most,'" Jacobs said.

The question now: Will the excitement about her new career last as long as the buzz surrounding her makeover?