“Fat Cavill”: Before Becoming the Body Goal Superman Star Henry Cavill Was Body Shamed and Bullied in School
One of the most well-known figures in the world right now is actor Henry Cavill, who is most known for playing Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman, in the DC Extended Universe. When he played Geralt of Rivia in the fantasy series The Witcher on Netflix, he also became well-known. British Glamour Magazine awarded the actor the Sexiest Man in the World in 2013.
The impression of Henry Cavill as a person is one of strength and mental acuity. He is renowned for having a fantastic physique, which the public saw in the Mission Impossible: Fallout starring Tom Cruise and Superman films. That is one of the reasons he was a front-runner for a crucial role in his life but was passed over for the part because the director thought he was a little chubby for the role. Let’s take a deeper look into this.
Also read: Superman Star Henry Cavill Surprisingly Has an Ironic Fear, Takes Support From a Special Friend
Henry Cavill on being body shamed and bullied while growing up
In an interview with Men’s Health US, Superman actor Henry Cavill shared that he did not have the body he does now when he was growing up and he has struggled with accepting his own skin. He said,
“I was a chubby kid. I could’ve very well gone down the route of just accepting my lot in life and being like, ‘I guess I’m not going to do anything.’” The publication also reported that the actor mentioned that he was called, ‘Fat Cavill’ when he was a kid, after which, he decided to take up sports like rugby which helped him to get into the shape he desired.
The actor noted that he never felt comfortable in his own skin until he decided to participate in a school stage production. He said,
“It actually helped me survive. Even the kids who were nasty to me at times and took pleasure in squashing me—when I finished a play, they’d say, ‘Wow, you’re really good.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, this is where I draw my strength from.’”
Talking about his physical appearance now, he said at the time of the interview that he is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that the characters Superman and Geralt are portrayed in a pristine way, as he is representing important characters and does not wish to be a dumpy character on-screen.
Henry Cavill on being told he wasn’t lean enough for James Bond
Cavill’s fans have always considered him a perfect candidate to play James Bond on-screen and during the interview with Insider, the actor revealed that he in fact did audition for the part when he was 21 but he was rejected for it but noted that the comment was meant to be positive and good-natured.
The actor shared with Insider,
“It was his tough love way of saying, ‘Look, mate, you’re in a Bond screen test. Next time you come to a screen test, really focus hard on making sure you lean up if it’s for something like Bond.’ And I wasn’t by any means chubby, but I was probably overweight because of taking my shirt off on camera. I’ve always been fairly insecure about taking my shirt off.”
The actor shared with Men’s Health US, “I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, ‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry’. I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something because I respond well to the truth. It helps me get better.”
Henry Cavill noted now via Insider, “Being in really good shape and thinking it’s OK to take my shirt off because I’m actually looking pretty decent right now, that makes it 100% worth it.” Daniel Craig ended up getting the part.
Henry Cavill on feeling the pressure as an actor to stay fit
The actor who will no longer play Superman in DCU Head by James Gunn and Peter Safran had previously shared via Muscles and Fitness that he feels a lot of pressure about being in shape as an actor but added that most of which comes from himself. He said, “I do want to do well, I want to be fit, and I want to also play these roles correctly. If I’m going to play roles like Superman and Geralt of Rivia, I need to be in pretty good nick. It takes hours in the gym.”
Recalling his 2011 release Immortals when he was put on a six-months strict diet, the actor said, “It’s very emotionally taxing. When you add the lack of food and the pressure on top of that, it’s tough.”
He admitted via Muscles and Fitness
“I felt enormous pressure. Mostly from myself to get it right. This isn’t something that you get wrong. The pressure mostly manifested when I started negotiating with myself during a workout. My head would be telling me to quit or to not push so hard and save energy for later sets by doing fewer reps, but then I’d remind myself that I had to get this right and I’d start blasting.”
Henry Cavill will soon be seen sharing screen space with John Cena, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Dua Lipa, Samuel L. Jackson, etc., for Apple TV+’s Argyle.
Source: Men’s Health
