Henry Cavill Reveals He Was Told He Was Too Fat To Play James Bond - Men's Health Magazine Australia

Henry Cavill Reveals He Was Told He Was Too Fat To Play James Bond

During a screen test for Casino Royale, Cavill reveals he was called “a little chubby”.
Instagram/henrycavill

Henry Cavill and fat don’t belong in the same sentence. Descriptors that tend to lurk in the shadow of such a name are those of jacked, ripped, perpetually shredded, superhumanly blessed, athletic, and incredibly fit. To see Henry Cavill is to think you’ve just walked onto the set of a Marvel movie, that to rub your eyes will see the superhero disappear before you. But unlike other actors who might require an elaborate amount of CGI, padded suits and costumes that bring muscular definition to arms and torsos, Cavill is the real deal. It’s surprising then to hear that the actor has in fact been called fat, not in jest by a partner or family member, but by an actual director. 

In a recent interview with Men’s Health US, Cavill revealed that director Martin Campbell wasn’t as impressed with his bod as most of us are today. While it’s safe to say Cavill has come a long way from the “fat Cavill” he was reportedly called at school, playground taunts abruptly ended when he came to see the benefit of daily workouts for health and wellbeing. It’s a passion that’s seen him land many roles, including that of The Witcher. But one role Cavill didn’t get is that of James Bond. 

For a screen test for the role of Bond in Casino Royale, Cavill had to walk out of a bathroom wrapped in a towel to reenact a scene from one of the Sean Connery-era films. As he told the publication, “I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, ‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry’.” But as Cavill reflects, this was a time where he didn’t have the same ethos towards training as he does now. “I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something, because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better.”

At the time such a comment was made, Cavill was just 23-years-old and struggling to get a firm footing in Hollywood. This was prior to landing the role that would make him a household name as Superman, and also before he came to experience the kind of gruelling training regimen and diet plan that goes hand in hand with such roles. In many ways, that comment from Campbell only ignited a fire deep within Cavill that pushed him to exceed and improve. “I’m representing important characters here,” said Cavill. “I don’t want to be a dumpy Geralt or a fat Superman.”

Still, we can’t help but wonder if, now having transformed himself into a ripped man with incredible fitness and strength, Cavill could just be the next Bond. The role of 007 is once again available and Cavill has described it as a “great, fun role to play.” 

Speaking to Men’s Health, Cavill said: “With the whole Bond process, I screen-tested many, many moons ago and it was, as far as I know, down to Daniel and myself. I think Daniel – sorry, Mr Craig – has done an incredible job of being Bond.”

More From