Biography

[on his disappointment on not being allowed to be shirtless in The Legend of Hercules (2014)] I didn't get to show my abs in the movie The Legend of Hercules (2014). Way back in the day, they wanted me to do Attila (2001) and I didn't want to do it because I didn't want to just be a "Hunk" as an actor (Gerard Butler ended up taking on the role). But at age 45, it was my last chance, I loved director Renny Harlin, and I thought it was a great opportunity to take that challenge on. It was the last chance I could use all the workout skills I had from 20 years of being an actor. So I pulled out my old playbook and went along with it, I used TRX for my abdominals and then did an hour of cardio and lifted weights like when I had trained using Muscle & Fitness magazine. And I got HUGE. I'm real good at diet, I understand that is the most important thing. When I first came to Hollywood, I was a training partner of someone who won the Olympia, so I knew what went with it. I decided [the training for The Legend Of Hercules] was going to be more than just a hobby. I wanted to make a real effort. So I gained all that muscle, and I hadn't put that kind of muscle on since I was 22 years old. I have the ability to put on these huge muscles, I should be one of the superheroes. But I didn't get to show my abs in the movie! I begged the director to let me take my shirt off! There was even a sequence during which I took on Hercules (Kellan Lutz) in the final battle, but I still had to keep my armor on. I suggested ways the armor could come off, like maybe a bolt of energy hits me and off it goes? Why wouldn't I take my armor off? I wanted to show off [my body]! Because I've never done a toga movie before and it was my last opportunity.