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The MCU has been bang on from the start with respect to casting its superhero characters in their films, starting from Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man. Never has the studio produced any actor who has not delivered for the role provided to them. Every actor including Downey Jr, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth has become synonymous with their MCU characters and are now major movie stars from their roles in the popular franchise.
At the same time, these actors have to maintain a lean and fit physique to draw desirability and attract audiences’ attention to their superheroic looks and appearances as their respective characters. But most of them had to resort to unhealthy ways to achieve that level of physical desirability, including the use of steroids.
Also read:One Iron Man Villain Actor Robert Downey Jr. Convinced to Join MCU Nearly Left Marvel Due to Humiliantly Low Salary
MCU Actors Resorted to Steroids to Maintain Their Superheroic Physiques
Robert Downey Jrstarted the whole MCU with the character of Iron Man. Since then, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth became synonymous with Captain America and Thor respectively. They captivated audiences with their charismatic portrayals of these Marvel superhero characters and they became big movie stars in the process. Other actors also followed and built the MCU into what it is today.
But they also had to maintain a fit and desirable physique for the audiences to believe their superhuman and extraordinary abilities in these films. While they trained and spent rigorous hours at the gym, they also had to resort to the use of steroids to keep up with the expected standards from the studio and audiences.
This aspect was mentioned in the latest bookMCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios. An excerpt from the book from Dr. Todd Schroeder reads as follows,
A lot of actors won’t talk about it openly, but they will work with a physician as well as a nutritionist and a trainer. and it’s a team. The big thing is, you can take steroids, testosterone, different androgens, growth hormones for a short period of time without any lasting effects on the body. It’s not like you become addicted to it. If an actor loves the new shape of his body and how people react to it, he might feel compelled to keep it.
A peak Marvel physique however isn’t something that one can sustain indefinitely. Like Robert Downey Jr, all the Iron Man (movies) he’s done, and some of them he’s gotten in really good shape for, but maintaining that is challenging. What people expect of you and how you need to look. I feel for these actors, especially if you’re in a Marvel role, where you’re going to be in multiple films.
The responsibility and pressure on these actors to deliver for the studio is immense, thus it is understandable why they had to resort to some unhealthy ways to achieve their superhero physique. But at the same time, one can’t help but feel pity for these actors who have to undergo such procedures that might affect their bodies as they get older.
Also read:“Everything changes a bit”: Real Reason Kevin Feige Was Against Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man 2
Kevin Feige Finally Reveals Why Tom Cruise Did Not Play Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr started the MCU with a bang with the firstIron Man, which also became a much-needed career resurgence for the actor. But as fans now know, Downey Jr was not the first choice for the role. Tom Cruise was supposed to play the Playboy billionaire but instead, Downey Jr landed the part.
The newly released book,MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studiosnow answers the question of why Cruise did not end up playing the part. An excerpt from the book reads,
“Ten years earlier, when the Iron Man rights were at 20th Century Fox, Tom Cruise, then thirty-four, had flirted with the idea of playing Stark. According to Feige, however, Cruise’s asking fee at the time was more than even a profitable studio like Fox was willing to risk on an untested superhero property.”
Downey Jr’s Iron Man soon became the face of the MCU and he led the other characters and movies for 10 years. While it would have been interesting to see Cruise’s take on the colorful character, fans now consider Downey Jr the only actor who could have played the character to such perfection.
Also read:One Marvel Actor Earned More Money Per Second Than Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson in Marvel Movies
Rahul Thokchom
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1276
Rahul Thokchom is a senior content writer at Fandomwire who is passionate about covering the world of pop culture and entertainment. He has a Masters Degree in English that contributes to the richness and creativity in his works.
