When Britain-born Cavill began his career in the early '00s, he played supporting roles, often as naïve young men. But since he signed up for Superman, the Irish version of the role that would require him to gain muscle and become the world's most powerful demigod, Cavill has gradually transformed himself into the kind of leader most studios now aspire to: a purely empowered character with the heroism of his dimpled jaw and well-crafted physique that can be implanted into a wide variety of big brand products.
Other superstars of his generation, such as three of the four men named Chris, tend to balance their blockbusters with smaller and less CGI (computer-synthesized images) films. But Cavill is unabashedly committed to comic films that require a lot of budget, months of physical training, and heavyweights. He's the two-faced playboy in the late-night theatrical classic 2015, Secret Agent, and he's the three-faced villain in last year's dizzyingly ridiculous Mission Impossible 6: Total Disintegration. This month, he played the long-haired, evil medieval wandering warrior Gerald in the best-selling series The Witcher. "I love that field," he said of wizards and the larger culture of fantasy and fanaticism that they represented, "and these roles are important to people and to me." As Cavill passed the aisle, some customers approached him. Joe is his tough but not obnoxious bodyguard, watching onlookers as he flips through the comics. Cavill turned to avoid embarrassment, shaking hands with everyone and chatting with everyone before they tapped him on the shoulder. One guest imitated Cavill's fierce punches in Mission Impossible 6; another spoke to him in the movie Alien, which shocked cavill, a young child living on Jersey island in Channel Island.
However, as Cavill walked around the store, he was sorry for not being fascinated by the comic book field. "I've been disconnected from all of this for some time," he said. "I'm left behind." Nearly 10 years have passed since he took on the role of Superman, and nearly two years since he played the role in the most recent episode of the controversial Justice League. That film required extensive re-shooting, in which Cavill's beard in Mission Impossible 6 had to be removed through digital effects. His upper lip looked as if it were stuffed with wet cotton balls. Although the film is considered to be slightly better than Batman v Superman and has made nearly $1 billion worldwide, it is still considered to be underperforming at the box office. The planned sequel was quietly canceled.
Among the rumor-ridden fan sites and reliable industry publications, there are countless reports that Cavill's superhuman era is over. As customers watch him finish his shopping and walk out of the "secret house", you will perceive the question that comes to mind: Wait, that guy... Or Superman? Despite occasional frustration, Cavill remained silent for a long time about the skepticism. He struggled for years, facing countless rejections and hung up phone calls to stand out with cosmic significance like Superman. He's a character and a quality that he'll protect — and insist he won't let go. "Superman's cloak is in the closet," Cavill said, "and it's still mine." ”
Just a few hours ago, Cavill was in a private gym in Los Angeles, where he spent a few days for business. Over the past 20 years, Cavill has become accustomed to physical workouts in any city he temporarily stays in. Maybe london, maybe Budapest, maybe Abu Dhabi. They've all been used as residents lately for some reason, though he notes that he hasn't actually lived anywhere: "I've lived a bit like a nomad for 19 years. He said. On this particular morning, when Tupac Shaku's hit 1998 single "Changes" sounded, Cavill was sweating profusely. He hadn't heard the song in years, and when he heard it again, Cavill, a man who had never stopped, was briefly frozen in his past. He flashes back to his british boarding school in the late '90s, when the song hits and he's sitting in his dorm with three friends. "It's the craziest memory," Cavill said, "and I was like, 'Wow. As a child, my whole life was in front of me. I believe in myself. But I was scared that nothing would happen. "Now, we're sitting in a seat by the window of a restaurant opposite the comic book store, and Cavill is sipping iced coffee. In conversation, it was found that he was thoughtful, but rarely hovered outside the parameters he had set: he never talked about his love life in any way, or even a seemingly innocuous question—such as asking him if he had his favorite among the countless memes triggered by Superman's beard—he would dispute it. However, when describing flashbacks of his old dorm memories, he laughed — something very unexpected, as he said he had been very unhappy during those years.
When he was a kid on Jersey, Cavell wanted to leave home. Jersey is known for its stunning beaches. He could now appreciate the island. But at that time, it felt like it was too small. "I would love to escape." Cavill said. His parents, who work in the financial sector, sent him and his four brothers to a private education, nearly bankrupting the family. As a teenager, however, Cavill's main distress was myopia: inexplicably, he became one of the most unpopular children. He would do things he thought were chivalrous, such as warning classmates not to play girls' skirts, and then find himself labeled "lemon." (The nickname, he explains, refers to a boy who is too flattering to chicks.) He was also given extra attention because of his weight and earned another sarcastic nickname, "Fat Garvey." I'm a fat kid," he said, "and I've come to terms with many aspects of my life, like, 'I think I'm going to get nowhere.'" Cavill eventually got thinner, in part because he liked to play rugby. But it wasn't until he started performing on the school stage that he felt more comfortable in front of others. "It actually helped me survive," he said. "Even if I sometimes hate me and like to squeeze on my kids, when I finish a scene, they'll say, 'Wow, you're really nice.'" I was like, 'Well, that's where I draw my strength.' ’”
Of course, the beginning of this kind of story is just the kind of story that is sometimes exaggerated (or even created) by superstar actors to overcome various difficulties to appear closer to ordinary people. But in Cavill's case, the isolation he experienced as a teenager — the way people made him feel obese and undervalued — help explain the role he's looking for: imperfect heroes who have to push themselves to physical and emotional extremes to gain the understanding of others.
Toward the end of Cavill's boarding school studies, he took on his first film role, playing a naïve 19th-century teenager in the 2002 version of The Count of Monte Cristo. Director Kevin Reynolds, who has directed blockbusters such as Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves, auditioned for "A Pack of Little Tadpoles" to confirm the role of 17-year-old Cavill. There, Cavill also developed feelings with a colleague on the set. "I really didn't have much dating experience at the time," he said, "and my first love happened during that movie." Cavill only appeared for a moment in The Count of Monte Cristo, but the job earned him an agent and persuaded his parents that he should pursue a career in acting. Reynolds, who helped shape Kevin Costner's career, was another man who believed in him early on. The director said: "Even then, I felt that Henry had the determination and ability to become a star. "Others in the industry aren't very sure. Over the next few years, he found himself "living on the couch and receiving the grace of his girlfriend and friends." Cavill auditioned regularly, sometimes performing rather badly. In 2003's Winter Lion, he read the script with Patrick Stewart and walked out in a panic. "I'm so bad." He said. But at least he went back and tried it a second time—a move that earned Stewart's respect. "It's horrible to audition," Cavill said, "and you put your hand in a black hole in the hope of a result." It's not like those areas that show speed or strength, or are as determined as good at football. ”
One of his most notorious auditions was in the mid-'00s, when he was preparing to try a role that seemed to suit him well, with a handsome, dark tie and a deep voice: James Bond. For a screen test, he had to wrap a towel and walk out of the bathroom and reprisal a scene from a movie from the Sean Connery era. "I might have been better prepared," Cavill said, "and I remember director Martin Campbell saying, 'It looks a little fat there, Henry.'" I don't know how to train or diet. I'm glad Martin said something because I can face reality very well. It helps me get better. ”
Cavill recalled as the 002 choice for 007, losing to Daniel Craig. It was the beginning of his long time as second place: he missed the lead role in Heart of Kings, Twilight, and an early superman movie that wasn't made. Cavill said: "I'm not happy to get these things, but I'm very used to the kind of disappointment in my acting career and boarding school. 'No, you're not good enough', that's nothing new to me. ”
He did star in showtime's historical drama Tudor for four seasons, and later in the murderous, brutal fantasy film God of War. In that 2011 hit, Cavill played a virtuous Greek warrior who was the nation's number one that year, making $250 million worldwide and reaching out to fans in every possible way. "It was my first time shooting a movie and I didn't wear clothes for most of the time," he said. "He underwent a strict planned diet for 6 months and received a lot of physical training to help himself slim down." Emotionally, it's very tiring," he says, "and when undernourishment and stress are superimposed on that, it's really hard." When God of War was released, Cavill was already filming Man of Steel, which made him the third actor in the Superman series and the first Englishman to represent the hero on screen. Man of Steel requires more workout than he's ever experienced before, and the entire filming schedule is coordinated around scenes of his naked upper body. Whether it was a warrior in Athens, an orphan on Krypton, or a wizard who killed monsters, he always felt like the guardian of these roles he played. That's why he had to undergo such torturous training. "I represent a certain quality here," he said. "I don't want to be a clumsy Geralt or an obese superman."
Cavell swore through high-intensity interval training and bodybuilding. "I know what it's like to go from out of shape to well-proportioned," he said, "and after that I look at myself, 'Man, well done.'" It's not like I'm a god with a golden body—I'm proud of what I've accomplished. Then you can take off your clothes in front of your significant other and she'll say, 'Damn, you look awesome!' And then you're like, 'Yes!' I make other people happy. But some people suffer from Cavill's love of fitness.
As an alien trapped on Earth for good deeds, Superman will obviously appear indisputable, and for a while in Man of Steel, it is clear that Cavill's charm is buried in those meditations. It wasn't until "Secret Agent" was re-released on the big screen that the audience discovered the actor's innate interest. Cavill plays a wavering and scheming American agent named Napoleon Solo. Although it wasn't a hit, it marked a pivotal moment in his career. As Solo, he's funny, relaxed, and has an effortless sexiness.
Director Christopher Macaulay said watching "The Secret Agent" made him think that the actor was suitable to play the evil genius villain in Mission Impossible 6: Total Disintegration. "Something about Henry's comedic time told me that he had some talent that hadn't been developed," McCauley said, "and I found him to have a charming humor — and from then on, I knew he could play a villain." The best villains enjoy their work. Cavill's performance in The Secret Agent also impressed The Witcher producer Schmidt Heathridge. She even talked to him about playing Geralt before the script for the series came out. In the months that followed, she met with 207 other actors to talk about the role. "But throughout my writing, Henry's voice kept ringing in my head," she said, "and in the book Geralt is frightening, but he also has that astonishing coldness and humorous wit." We need someone who can express both characteristics at the same time, who can see all the trauma of the world in which he lives, and who can take a step back and occasionally roll his eyes. ”
The Witcher combines the cunning charm cavills he exhibits in Secret Agent and Total Disintegration with the muscles and strength he has accumulated for his superhero character. After the filming of Total Disintegration, Cavill was keen to do his own stunts on The Witcher, including strictly choreographed swordplay fights. But what he was most excited about, he said, was to be able to learn about Geralt's position in the world. "It's interesting how much he really resembles us," he said, "geralt really tried very hard, but was always misunderstood or not accepted — people have a negative attitude towards you, even though you're actually doing the right thing." "It reminds me of Cavill's long time as Superman — three films that made him an international superstar while also upsetting a legion of fans. He was very cautious in discussing the film itself, so consider these assessments of how frank he is: Man of Steel? "A good place to start. If I had to go back, I wouldn't change anything. "Batman v Superman" is a very Batman movie. I think the dark world is great for Batman movies. "Justice League?" It is not accepted. ”
Cavill almost made a cameo appearance in this year's Shazam to recreate his superhuman role. However, it is said that it could not be achieved due to a conflict with the timing of the Total Disintegration. That absence, coupled with the fact that The Witcher may have been the last epic like Game of Thrones, took up most of his time further reinforced speculation that his days in the cloak as Superman were over. "When it's all fermenting, I'm not going to be silent in the dark anymore," Cavill said of the rumors, "I haven't given up on this character, I still have a lot to offer superman, there's a lot of stories to tell." I want to understand the authenticity and depth of the character's honest qualities, and I want to reproduce the comics, which is important to me. Superman has a lot of justice to preside over. The current status is: you will see. ”
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