It is no secret that Superman actor Henry Cavill went through a tough time while he was at boarding school because people teased him for his weight. This mean comment somehow stuck with him even when he was auditioning for the lead role in Man of Steel.
Cavill was pretty much convinced he would lose his star power and, at the same time, would not get the part all because he was not in his best shape.
Henry Cavill Felt Conscious About His Weight While Auditioning For Superman Role
During his interview with GQ magazine, Justice League star Henry Cavill revealed he almost gave up on the coveted Superman role because he thought he was not fit enough. The actor lamented:
“It was totally embarrassing. I wasn’t in training. I wasn’t feeling fit or looking good, and you put on a Lycra suit and it does not help it. I just thought, OK, I’m not getting this job. I’m fat Superman. It’ll be some really in-shape dude that when they step out they look amazing.”
But Zack Snyder had a different opinion in mind. When Cavill walked in on the spandex screen test, everyone was just in pure awe. The director said:
“He walked out in that outfit, on a film set that had all these big burly grips there, these tough guys, and no one laughed. That was the test really. Everyone was just like, ‘That’s awesome.’”
Even Man Of Steel producer Charles Roven admitted he just uttered a “Wow!” when he saw Cavill, and in the words of Snyder, “He crushed it.” They did not look for any other actors.
At one point, the actor had gotten so big that he started ripping off the Superman suit. Even his clothes did not fit him anymore. This somehow made him feel insecure. He further shared:
“If I looked back now I would say to myself, ‘But you were huge! What are you talking about?’ But yes, every day, I would look in the mirror and say, ‘Is it enough?’”
Cavill’s weight had always been his insecurity since he was younger. The actor never forgets the time he was bullied for it. But, now that he is Superman, who would even dare?
Henry Cavill Admitted The Bullying Stuck With Him
Henry Cavill shared how the kids at boarding school picked on him. The Man from UNCLE star admitted in the same interview with GQ:
“Yes, I was bullied. But I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Woe is me.’ It’s never easy when you’re homesick. And I wasn’t part of a big group. Kids are kids. Kids are mean. I was overweight when I went to school. In fact, I was overweight when I left, just taller. Fatty Cavill was the nickname. I mean, no one wants to be Fatty Cavill.”
Even compliments from his previous girlfriends about how he looked just fine was difficult to believe. Cavill always felt the burden of those nasty comments about his physique.
“Yeah, it stuck with me for a while, actually. I was always conscious of my weight afterwards. I’ve had girlfriends in the past who have said, ‘No, really, your weight’s fine, you look great’, but I just didn’t believe them.”
Now that Cavill has been training consistently to maintain his superhero build, and he has achieved his dream to be that kind of actor that producers hire because he puts bums on seats, no one would dare bully him anymore.
