Henry Cavill - Mail Online Interview

'I didn't want the abs drawn on': British actor Henry Cavill bulked up for an authentic Superman body - without relying on CGI


By Nadia Mendoza Mail Online

Last updated at 7:44 PM on 1st November 2011


With the help of CGI and special effects, it has become increasingly easier for actors to take a backseat when it comes to changing their physique for a role.
But Henry Cavill was determined to beef up to look authentic donning the cape and tights - not to mention those Lycra pants - of Superman and says he 'did not want abs drawn on'.

The British actor has proved his strength in an incredible photoshoot by clinging on to a lamp post reminiscent of Britain's Got Talent champion George Sampson's iconic Singin' In The Rain routine.

The Tudors actor said: 'I had a big sense of pride. I was like, "No shading. I don’t want you to draw abs on me. I don’t want you to put dirt in the right places. I just want to do it myself. I want to have the body."

But despite bulking up his silhouette to feature the bulging biceps of a superhero, the 28-year-old told Men's Health he still worries over his body.

He added: 'You get the fear every morning, "Do I look good enough?" And of course you do, but in your own head, you never look good enough.'

'I think the best thing I learned was that I can do it. A lot of people think they probably can’t, until they actually do. When I saw pictures I would say "Is that me?"

'You don’t quite realise. It taught me that anything is possible.'

The Immortals hunk said the key to building the perfect frame was simply training - every day.

Cavill said: 'It’s a great feeling to be in shape and strong. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way at all.

'But you go to the gym and train hard every day and you learn how far you can push yourself. That becomes rewarding in itself.'
On reflection, the rising star didn't seem to mind his gruelling schedule, referring to it as 'fun'.

'Maybe we were built to stress and challenge ourselves physically, emotionally and psychologically, and all the rest of it,' he said.

'Maybe that’s why we survived physically as a race - we evolved so it becomes fun.'
Cavill is the latest homegrown talent to join the Hollywood elite by playing the leading man in a global blockbuster.