Singer Stacy Ann Ferguson a.k.a. Fergie has revealed that she and actress Penelope Cruz had to gain 17 pounds before shooting of musical ‘Nine’ began.

The two had been asked by the movie’s director to put on the weight, and they were very happy to oblige.

“We were eating our brains out. We ordered everything fried and full of fat and salty,” Us magazine quoted Fergie as telling the July issue of Allure.

But after filming ended, Fergie, 34, discovered that she was not able to get rid of all the fat so easily, and her new curves prompted pregnancy rumours.

“If I don’t do sit-ups, my stomach sticks out,” she said.

“Legs are easy for me. That’s my lucky spot.

“It was a very gradual thing, getting back into it and finally letting a trainer train me. I didn’t want to be told what to do, and I wasn’t mentally ready to crack the whip,” she added.