BENICIO DEL TORO - DEL TORO BATTLES THE BULGE

Screen hunk BENICIO DEL TORO vowed he would never pile on the pounds again after plumping up for FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS seven years ago (98) - but he has already gone back on his promise.

The 38-year-old actor found culinary temptation on the set of his latest movie SIN CITY was too great - as director ROBERT RODRIGUEZ is a skilled cook.

He says, "I seem to gain weight pretty fast now. I gained about 5 pounds (2 kilograms) in five days shooting this movie because that Robert Rodriguez flips a mean pizza."

But he hasn't matched the weight he reached for the HUNTER S THOMPSON movie - which reached "painful and unhealthy" proportions.

He recalls, "It was like that film SUPER SIZE ME - just eat as much as you can."