Once self-conscious about his appearance, Henry Cavill rose to the 3rd position in the list of “100 sexiest actors in 2013”. That gap has a significant contribution from movies.
Having a chubby body and being bullied in school, Henry Cavill probably never thought that one day he would become a famous global superstar. Recalling his school days, Henry Cavill shared: “I used to be very fat, my friends still called me Fat Cavill”. That fatness made him a joke to his classmates, isolated, and ridiculed. For the actor, with his overweight appearance, his childhood became more scary than beautiful when thinking about it. Looking back at his past photos, Cavill looks like the funny chubby friend that every group of friends had. That appearance has no association with a brave, attractive leader like the image he built in some action movies, superhero cinematic universes. But it was also that self-consciousness that made Henry Cavill withdraw and turn to drama as a salvation. The career opportunity came to him during his school years, an unhappy time because Cavill was often bullied because of his appearance. He participated in school plays and felt interested in the stage. Shakespeare’s plays such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream or the musical Grease are still imprinted in Henry’s mind. But that is just a form of hobby, an escape from reality, not a passion or interest like many others. Cavill often says that if he did not become an actor, he would join the army or study ancient history. The turning point came when Cavill was 17 years old, while still “the boy who called his mother four times a day” at boarding school. Casting agents for the film The Count of Monte Cristo recognized his talent and decided to offer Cavill the role. This was Cavill’s first step into professional acting. That path led to other films such as Laguna (2001), the TV series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (2001), Goodbye Mr. Chip (2002) and the famous detective series Midsomer Murders (1997). During this time, Cavill decided to shed his excess weight by actively exercising. He lost weight, gained muscle and gradually built a handsome image in the direction of classical beauty. The angular lines of his face and captivating blue eyes gradually took shape, helping Cavill stand out more and more on the screen. From 2007 to 2010, he participated in the TV series The Tudors in the main role of Charles Brandon. The series became a hit, was nominated for a Golden Globe and won an Emmy in 2008, making Cavill’s name soar. He had the opportunity to collaborate with famous director Woody Allen in 2009 with the movie Whatever Works and left a good impression. By January 2011, Henry Cavill’s name became popular worldwide when he became DC’s newest superhero. Man of Steel directed by Zack Snyder in 2013 was like a “test” for the “DC cinematic universe”. Although not highly appreciated for its content, Man of Steel still became the highest-grossing superhero movie of all time. The acting was limited, but Cavill’s muscular appearance and charisma were praised. Man of Steel was the movie that officially brought Cavill to a new level in his career. He always said that the loneliness and differences in his teenage years helped him understand Superman better. That same year, he was voted “Sexiest Man Alive” by Glamour Magazine. Empire Magazine ranked him 3rd in the list of “100 Sexiest Actors of 2013”.
Cavill first played Superman in Man of Steel (2013) and returned in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), also directed by Jack Snyder. His character was built in a darker direction than previous versions, causing mixed reactions in the fan community. In 2017, the director continued to invite Cavill to participate in the blockbuster Justice League (Justice League).
As one of the “male gods” in Hollywood, Henry Cavill possesses a classic, elegant handsome look. In contrast to his obese, bullied childhood, fate has turned him into the strongest man on earth: Superman! Born on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, Cavill is the fourth child in a business family, with a mother who is a bank clerk and a father who is a stockbroker. Art saved Cavill from isolation and it was art that took him away from the boring, dull life that fat boys often have.
At the peak of his success, Cavill always thanked his fans: “To the audience who have been with me for many years, remember: Superman is always here. What he represents still exists. His actions are still here. What Superman represents will never go away. I have had a great journey with you, now it is time to look forward to the future”.
Explaining those shares, Henry Cavill said he will not be present in new projects of Superman, but there will be other opportunities waiting for him. Besides the role of Superman, Cavill attracted attention when he starred in the fantasy action series The Witcher, the blockbuster Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) or the role of Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes (2020).
Henry Cavill as Superman
In addition to Superman, Henry Cavill’s appearance attracted attention with his role in the series The Witcher. In the film, he continuously had scenes showing off his impressive body. Cavill revealed that in order to have impressive muscle scenes in this film, he had to abstain from drinking water for 3 days before performing the topless scenes. Cavill said: “Dieting is hard, you feel hungry all the time, but when you are forced to not drink water for 3 days, everything is worse, there are times when I crave water so much that I can smell it somewhere around me”.
To have the best body shape when on screen, Henry Cavill revealed: “It’s not that I can’t drink a drop of water for 3 days. But on the first day, I will only drink 1.5 liters of water. On the second day, I will drink half a liter and on the third day, I will not drink water so that on the fourth day, I can film scenes that show off my muscles very clearly”. The Witcher series is set in medieval times, on a land called the Continent, the main character is Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a brave monster hunter who travels everywhere to defeat terrifying monsters. The film is highly appreciated for Henry Cavill’s appearance. However, to achieve that beauty, the actor had to practice a lot. And although the appeal of The Witcher mainly comes from… the handsome appearance of actor Henry Cavill, the film is said to have many fantasy elements adapted from the best-selling book series by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski.
Having overcome his inferiority complex and obstacles about his appearance, even though he no longer plays Superman, Cavill still finds the opportunity to shine when art has become his true passion.
