Why Henry Cavill was ‘sick to his stomach’ after shooting ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ cameo

The actor, 41, made a cameo in the new Marvel movie as a variant of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine named “Cavillrine.”

Director Shawn Levy told the New York Times that Cavill committed to his role — so much so that the actor “was sick to his stomach” the day after filming.

“I think we all were, including poor Henry Cavill, who not only had that pumped-up muscular body but kept that cigar lit and in his mouth for the entirety of the shoot day,” said Levy, 56, in the interview published Monday.

Henry Cavill at CinemaCon 2024
Henry Cavill at CinemaCon 2024.Getty Images

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Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy on the set of "Deadpool and Wolverine"
Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy on the set of “Deadpool & Wolverine.”©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection

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“I remember hearing the next day that Henry was sick to his stomach because he had been inhaling cigar smoke for eight hours straight, but never once did he waver,” he added.

Levy also revealed that part of the reason Cavill was cast in “Deadpool & Wolverine” was to play into him losing his role as Superman in the DC movies.

“In the case of Henry, it was not long after everything went down with DC, and word came that Henry was being replaced as Superman,” Levy explained.

Henry Cavill at the 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' press junket in China in Aug. 2018
Henry Cavill at the “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” press junket in China in August 2018.Getty Images

Henry Cavill as Superman
Henry Cavill as Superman.©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
He continued: “Given that Deadpool is in constant conversation with culture, it felt like a great opportunity to first of all cast Henry Cavill in a part that he would kick ass at, but also to poke fun at that other comic-book-founded movie studio and play with some self-awareness there.”

Cavill broke his silence on his surprise “Deadpool 3” appearance on Instagram Tuesday.

“To be safe, I shaved the moustache off for this one. Just the moustache,” he wrote, alongside a photo of his character smoking a cigar.

Henry Cavill at the "Enola Holmes 2" premiere in NYC in Oct. 2022
Henry Cavill at the “Enola Holmes 2” premiere in NYC in October 2022.Getty Images

Henry Cavill in "Deadpool and Wolverine"
Henry Cavill in “Deadpool & Wolverine.”@henrycavill/@Jaymaidmentphotography
On the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Levy told host Josh Horowitz that they leaned into the “Cavillrine” character after what went down between Cavill and DC.

“We were like, ‘We gotta do this.’ We want to see Cavill as the Cavallrine,’” Levy said. “He did enjoy that day. I remember he was so committed — he was jacked up and had that disgusting cigar in his mouth for hours. He was fully in it.”

“I think he might have gotten sick to his stomach, if memory serves,” the “Stranger Things” producer added. “He was a trooper and he was fabulous.”

Shawn Levy with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman at Comic-Con 2024
Shawn Levy with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman at Comic Con 2024.Getty Images for Disney

Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy filming "Deadpool 3"
Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy filming “Deadpool 3.”©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
Cavill wasn’t rehired again as Clark Kent/Superman in 2022.

He first played the iconic hero in 2013’s “Man of Steel” and reprised the role in 2016’s “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and 2017’s “Justice League.”

In October 2022, after making a cameo in the mid-credits scene of “Black Adam,” Cavill said that he would be donning the famous cape again.

Henry Cavill as Superman
Henry Cavill as Superman.AP
However, he retracted the announcement in November 2022 after James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios at Warner Bros.

“The changing of the guard is something that happens,” Cavill wrote on Instagram. “I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.”

David Corenswet, 31, was cast as DC’s new Superman last year. He recently wrapped filming “Superman,” the first film in the DC Universe (DCU).

The cast of the July 2025 film directed by Gunn, 58, also includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.