‘Superman’ Star David Corenswet Bulked Up to 230 Pounds to Play Man of Steel: ‘I Didn’t Fit Into Any of My Pants’

David Corenswet, who was announced as the new Superman in June 2023, underwent a major physical change in preparation for the role.

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“I wasn’t 238 (pounds) when we started shooting. I was 238 at my max,” the actor said on episode 27 of the “ Manly Things (Sort Of)” podcast. “I didn’t fit into any of my pants.”

The “Hollywood” actor also discussed the difficulty of maintaining his peak weight throughout the production process. He shared that the transformation he underwent initially “didn’t feel great” because his body had not yet adjusted to all of the extra weight he had gained.

Corenswet joked about realizing he had become a 2XL when donning a Champion sweatshirt during a table read for the film.

“That was at the peak of my bulk,” Corenswet said on the podcast. “And then I slowly lost weight before we started shooting. I started shooting at about 228, 230…I know I wanted this to be my excuse to see what it felt like to gain essentially as much weight as I could.”

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In May, Paolo Mascitti, the personal trainer for the “Superman” cast, shared a photo of the film’s titular star in an Instagram post .

“David Corenswet worked his ass off; I can’t wait to share more of the training we did to prepare to play this iconic character; stay tuned for more,” Mascitti wrote. The post featured two still images: a first look at Corenswet in the official Superman suit and a shot of the actor flexing his muscles in the gym.

“Superman,” which will be directed by James Gunn, is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.

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