Everyone knows Henry Cavill as Superman, but he was not always the Man of Steel that fans recognize. The actor has admitted numerous times that he experienced bullying in boarding school, mainly for his chubby physique.
Today, Cavill’s chiseled abs and toned biceps sell big-time, and after appearing in several movie roles that required him intense physical training, the actor has achieved a god-like figure.
Henry Cavill Proves A Real Gentleman After Bullies Harassed Girls At School
The British star told Men’s Fitness that he was often the subject of ridicule at his old boarding school. Not only his former bullies made fun of his body, but they also gave him a nickname that stuck for a long time.
His tormentors had a habit of flicking up girls’ skirts at their school, and as a true gentleman, Henry Cavill defended his female classmates:
“They used to call me Fat Cavill. I actually had rolls of fat on me. One guy told me I had tits. They also called me a lemon, a guy who gets nowhere with the girls.”
The actor lamented this horrible experience:
“If I’d gone to Hollywood without having been hurt on a daily basis at school, perhaps I would have been a little less ready for it.”
In another interview, the 40-year-old Justice League star added (via Men’s Health):
“I was a chubby kid. I could’ve very well gone down the route of just accepting my lot in life and being like, ‘I guess I’m not going to do anything.’”
The bullying persisted for quite a while, but Cavill used this to his advantage and turned it into a motivational factor to improve himself. As part of the rugby team, he was able to trim down his weight, but it was joining school stage productions that built his confidence:
“It actually helped me survive. Even the kids who were nasty to me at times and took pleasure in squashing me—when I finished a play, they’d say, ‘Wow, you’re really good.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, this is where I draw my strength from.’”
From being a quiet observer of his surroundings to his chivalrous acts toward the ladies, Henry Cavill proves that kindness and being the bigger person can change the course of one’s life.
Henry Cavill Reflects On His Newfound Fame And Success
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. star is now one of the biggest Hollywood stars following his breakthrough role as Superman/Clark Kent in 2013’s Man of Steel. Although his planned reprisal of the role was scrapped after the series of changes that occurred within DC Studios, Henry Cavill has other new projects coming up.
Discussing fame and success and how people consider him a sex symbol, he told People:
“You take everything in stride. Of course, it’s flattering when people say that, but you’ve got to keep yourself aware of the fact that it’s all perspective. There’s one group of people saying that, and there’s one group of people who may not feel the same way.”
Following his controversial exit from The Witcher franchise, Henry Cavill is now working with Amazon Studios for the movie and series adaptation of Warhammer 40K.
Sources: Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, People
