Nicholas Galitzine “learned a lot about [himself]” while preparing for Masters of the Universe.
Nicholas Galitzine stars as He-Man
The 31-year-old actor got himself in tip-top physical condition in order to play He-Man in the new sword and sorcery film, and Nicholas admits that he pushed himself to his absolute limits while preparing for the role.
The actor – who stars in Masters of the Universe alongside Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba – told Entertainment Weekly: “Truthfully, I feel like I learned a lot about myself and how far I was willing to push myself and really suffering for it. And it took a really, really long time. It’s really not for the faint of heart.
“This is something that you need to do full-time for six months minimum, but I’m really happy.”
Nicholas also recalled shocking people with his bulked-up physique after six months of preparation.
The actor – who previously starred alongside Camila Cabello in 2021’s Cinderella – said: “Obviously, it’s such a personal journey for you, and you see your body every day, and really it’s not till people who’ve seen you six months prior then see you there — in Eternia, [Skeletor’s home] Snake Mountain, Subternia, wherever it may be — you gain validation off of other people’s reactions to it.”
The new movie is directed by Travis Knight, and he’s revealed what drew him to the character of He-Man during his younger years.
The 52-year-old filmmaker – who helmed 2018’s Bumblebee – shared: “He was talking about kindness. He was talking about friendship and compassion. He was somebody who cared. And he was essentially like a bronzed empathy coach in furry underpants.”
Travis remembers He-Man being distinct from every other superhero that he encountered at the time.
The director – who is the son of the Nike co-founder Phil Knight – said: “It was unique. It was different. And certainly for a kid like me — I was a sensitive kid. I was an artist. I was kind of a weird guy, you might say, and I made friends slowly when I made them at all…
“I was comfortable with my own company, and I had deep thoughts and deep feelings, but I had a hard time making those types of deep connections easily with others. And so that very notion that strength and sensitivity could commingle, it was seismic. It was like discovering you could own both a tank and a diary.”