Borat goes buff: Sacha Baron Cohen and five other actors who seriously shaped up for a role

Actors often feel like a different breed - from the red carpet walks to constant paparazzi and famous friends, they’re really a completely different specimen. Plus, it seems like hardly a week goes by without hearing about something crazy an actor has done for a role - think Kate Winslet learning to hold her breath for over seven minutes or Meral Streep learning Polish - Daniel Day Lewis even worked as a cobbler for his role in Gangs of New York. Crazy. And to think you have Friends on in the background has you work from home, wiggling your mouse to keep Teams “active” as you crack on with some chores that have been on your to-do list all week. Pathetic.

Sacha Baron Cohen has been in the headlines recently thanks to his new super jacked physique. The comedian-slash-actor joked that he was “hard launching [his] mid-life crisis”, and that his “new character was: Middle aged man who replaced beer with protein shakes”. Using a combination of Ozempic, private chefs, and personal trainers, (including Matthew McConaughey’s fave), Baron Cohen didn’t get in shape for a specific role, but just to keep as healthy as possible. Although, he is set to take on the (recurring) role of bad-guy Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he’s definitely not the first to up the workouts for an MCU character. It got us thinking about some of the other incredible transformations fellow actors have undergone in the name of work commitment.

J K Simmons

One of the most accredited actors of our generation, JK Simmons has been on screens for over 50 years, but it was on our phone screens where he most recently (okay, 2016) went viral. Showing off some bulging biceps, Simmons’ trainer Aaron Wilson shared a picture of Simmons mid-curl and the internet predictably went into a tailspin. As well as generally keeping fit and healthy, he famously went on to deliver a memorable performance as a buff Santa in Red One.

Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney’s appearance is often in headlines, but it was her transformation into boxing icon Christy Martin in the upcoming biopic which really made a splash. Sweeney did grappling and kickboxing from ages 12-19 and said that prior to training for the film, she had been "itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform [her] body.” Boxing is incredibly physically demanding, combining elements of strength training and cardiovascular training, enhancing coordination, balance, and endurance. Basically, we’d definitely not want to get into a fight with any boxer - or Sydney Sweeney.

Kumail Nanjiani

From going from comedy nerd to buff action hero is a trajectory many of us dream of - although for most of us, it remains a tragic-tory. For Nanjiani though, it was a viral sensation, shaping up for his role in Marvel’s Eternals. Nanjiani claimed there was another reason to level up the workout regime, his superhero’s secret identity was that he is a Bollywood movie star - and those guys are super-jacked, so he “had to” really get into shape.

Zac Efron

Zac Efron’s Baywatch bod was a crazy enough transformation - after all, it’s practically an impossible task to stand next to The Rock and look like anything other than one of those blow-up tube guys outside a car wash, but Efron really held his own. However, it was his Iron Claw routine which is most memorable. We’re back to the boxing/MMA/wrestling ring for Efron’s portrayal of Kevin Von Erich for 2023’s pro-wrestling drama flick. His transformation involved a combination of working with a trainer who implemented a complex system of bulking and cutting - in lazy person’s terms, eating a lot and removing fat from your body.

Ralph Fiennes

Hitting our screens only recently, Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later was a hit film for many reasons, but one of the main things that had people talking was Ralph Fiennes’ appearance. Aside from the blood-soaked, ragged garms, it was the 62 year old’s incredibly fit physique that caught people’s attention. Fiennes worked with trainer Dan Acasilcai - former bodybuilder and wrestler - to help get in shape (although the pair have been working together for decades) and his schedule involved five heavy workouts per week, following by up to 45 minutes of hill running each evening whilst filming - oh and a pretty strict diet. I think we’ll stick to our friday night pint.

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