2 Supermen Actors Refused The Same Cheat Trick For Their DC Breakouts, 35 Years Apart

Taking upon a DC superhero role like Superman comes with a lot of responsibilities, particularly a physical commitment to look the part – making the efforts of the actors in the role all the more noteworthy. From his debut appearance in Action Comics #1, Superman has proven he is capable of feats of super strength. To convincingly bring this level of durability on screen, actors playing Superman generally have to reflect a similar physique – even though ironically, Superman is often shown not needing to work out himself because of the solar radiation that powers his enhanced abilities.

While building washboard abs wasn’t the norm in the 1970s and rubber muscle suits weren’t common, Christopher Reeve still toned his body well enough to play the hero in Richard Donner’s Superman. David Corenswet, the latest actor to wear the red cape in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot, has been similarly hitting the gym to bulk up as the Man of Steel. Corenswet’s direct predecessor in the DCEU timeline, Henry Cavill, also added a physical ruggedness that made him look more ripped and commanding than any other Superman actor. But there is one workout aspect that connects the DCEU actor with a Superman legend.

Christopher Reeve & Henry Cavill Both Avoided Steroid Use For Superman

A Kryptonian Physique Comes From An All-Natural Diet And Exercise

Christopher Reeve’s Superman evoked a gentlemanly humility, while Henry Cavill’s Superman captured a more reckless and aggressive side of the character. And yet what connects Reeve and Cavill is that they both avoided any pharmaceutical enhancements while getting in shape as Superman, and were outspoken in their decision to avoid this avenue and why they especially avoided it when taking on the role of Superman.

When Reeve got the part, he described himself as a “string bean” who needed to bulk up. Refusing to wear any enhanced costumes, Reeve began lifting weights and eating a protein-rich diet four times a day. As an interview preserved by Flashback Filmmaking reveals, Reeve also took vitamin pills but refused to use steroids to achieve his physique.

Reeve also added that the stronger he got, the more it helped to get closer to Superman’s mental attitude. Henry Cavill had a similar outlook when he was cast to play Superman in Zack Snyder’s DCEU movies. USA Today revealed that when Cavill got the role, he didn’t use steroids or HGH (Human Growth Hormone) because he felt this would best reflect the character he was playing. To quote the Man of Steel actor, “To take a shortcut to get to that place is not what Superman represents.”. An old-school gym workout was Cavill’s method to gain muscle.

Christopher Reeve Was Worried About His Build For The Superman Movie Audition

A Heavy Sweater Helped The Actor Play The Man Of Steel

With hundreds of actors auditioning for the 1978 Superman movie, Christopher Reeve was concerned that he would be considered too skinny to play the part. That’s when “a big, bulky blue sweater” came to his rescue. Reeve had a lean physique at the time, which he attributed to many hours playing tennis. But the actor was concerned about his physique, and wore the heaviest Shetland sweater he could find in his attic in his audition to appear bulkier. He eventually got the part, even though there were still concerns that he was skinnier than his comic-book counterpart.

The easiest solution would have been to wear a padded suit, but the actor instead took the more arduous path of working out to replicate Superman’s build, explaining this was also to help him get into the psyche of the character. Reeve’s determination paid off, with many comic book fans still considering Reeve as the best movie Superman. While many of the older superhero costumes are often laughed about, Reeve’s simple retro blue-and-red suit still went well with his all-natural body, a legacy that Henry Cavill similarly carried forward as the Superman of the DCEU.

Man of Steel

This new take on Superman’s origin story, Man of Steel, centers on young journalist Clark Kent/Kal-El, a being who came to Earth as a child from Krypton. Though he has trouble fitting in with his secret superpowers and questions his purpose in life, Clark is forced into action when fellow Kryptonian General Zod arrives on Earth hellbent on conquest. Clark is built by the values set upon him by his parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, who adopted him as an otherworldly orphan, inadvertently raising him to become the hero humanity needs.

Release Date

June 14, 2013

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