Man of Steel launched Henry Cavill into worldwide popularity, delivering one of the darkest portrayals of the superhero. Cavill worked hard to get his body ripped for the role, leading to a transformation that rendered him unrecognizable. Following the intense training for Superman, Cavill admitted that his appearance underwent significant changes. He even had to throw away all his clothes because they no longer fit him.

Notably, Man of Steel was not the first time the Tudors actor auditioned for the superhero role. Cavill had previously vied for the part of the Kryptonian in McG’s Superman: Flyby, a project that later evolved into Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh as Superman.

Henry Cavill’s Appearance Changed After Man of Steel

When Zack Snyder found Henry Cavill as the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield, The Witcher actor was determined not to disappoint his director. Cavill embarked on intense workout routines for his role, subjecting himself to some extreme physical challenges. Cavill has revealed on numerous occasions, the tedious process of getting into Superman shape.

Cavill also opened up about the permanent changes that the intense training brought upon his body. The biggest change he experienced was the reduction in his waist size. His shoulders bulked up significantly so that he couldn’t fit in his own clothes. The Mission: Impossible – Fallout actor felt the changes to his body as it grew harder and leaner. Cavill shared (via IMDB):

“The body got harder and leaner. But the biggest change was the waist getting smaller. A lot smaller. I genuinely had to throw my clothes out, since my shoulders are too big and my waist is too small. Everything just doesn’t fit like it used to. I have never been this big.”

However, his Superman-ly looks from Man of Steel turned out to be more of a curse than good. It started affecting his personal life, as the Stardust actor grew insecure about his appearance when he was not playing the superhero. He was highly critical of his body and even hindered himself from pursuing a stable relationship for a while.

Henry Cavill’s Insecurity Even Extended To Donning The Superman Suit

Henry Cavill had previously opened up about his body image issues, stating that it began in his school years when he was bullied. Cavill had a chubby body back then and his fellow students used to tease him with the nickname “Fat Cavill”. To cope with these struggles, the Enola Holmes actor decided to pursue a career in Hollywood.

Upon wearing his superhero costume for the first time, Cavill couldn’t help but question whether the audience would accept him as their next Superman. Cavill felt he was too fat, especially after playing Will Shaw in The Cold Light of Day, which required him to be out of shape. Despite these insecurities, the Justice League actor expressed that he was honored to play the character.

Following his superhero stint, Cavill will be next seen as a spy in both Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle and Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. For now, fans can enjoy his superhero role in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, now available for streaming on Max.