When we think of muscular actors, it’s usually the names of heartthrobs like Chris Hemsworth, Henry Cavill, and Zac Efron that come to mind. Still, numerous celebrities have defied stereotypes and wowed their fans with their well-built physiques, achieved with the help of a balanced diet, a strict workout routine, and the means to hire a personal trainer.
Some of these stars have undergone drastic body transformations to prepare for a role. In contrast, others have acquired a taste for exercise throughout the years, looking to lose weight or improve their physical and mental health.
Here are 22 celebrities who will inspire you to move from your couch.
#1 Daniel Radcliffe
Maybe it’s because the 34-year-old actor has become known to us as the young wizard who enrolled in Hogwarts School that we are so surprised to learn of his toned physique.
The truth is that Radcliffe runs six miles a day (at minimum) six days a week. His inspiration to exercise came after meeting his partner, Erin Darke.
Radcliffe’s advice to those wanting to put on a little more muscle is to stick to an activity that interests them, “Find something that you enjoy that also keeps you fit. Like playing football, or rock climbing or whatever it is. Just find that and do it so it doesn’t feel like a chore,” he said.
#2 Benedict Cumberbatch
Cumberbatch has done many exercises to achieve his superhero physique, including weightlifting and pilates. The actor also did yoga, which has been one of his favorite workouts since his teen years.
To prepare the 47-year-old star for the role of Dr. Strange, Marvel Studios hired pro-trainer Simon Waterson. The professional applied the five-two method, described as “five exercises done in an accumulator with two minutes of cardio in between.”
Image credits: benedictcumberbatch_221b
#3 Jeff Bezos
As one witty Twitter user pointed out, Bezos could get jacked just by lifting his wallet over and over again.
The business magnate exercises with Wes Okerson, a VIP personal trainer who has worked with Gerard Butler and Tom Cruise. Okerson’s go-to method consists of low-impact, high-resistance exercises such as rowing.
Bezos also eats a diet based on protein and healthy fats. His favorite breakfast? Octopus with potatoes, tomatoes, bacon, and green garlic yogurt.
Aged 59, the Amazon founder understands the importance of a good night’s sleep and always makes sure to get 8 hours of quality sleep a day to look after his mental and metabolic health.
“For me, I need 8 hours of sleep. I think better, I have more energy, my mood is better,” he shared during the Economic Club conference held in Washington, DC, in 2018. “Is it really worth it if the quality of those decisions might be lower because you’re tired or grouchy?”
Image credits: jeffbezos
#4 Gordon Ramsay
When he’s not busy making condescending comments to cooking show competitors or running his four Michelin-star restaurants, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has time to look after his body.
The 56-year-old has competed in five Ironman triathlons to date. To prepare for this demanding endeavor, he swims three times a week, rides his bike on weekends, and, believe it or not, eats whatever he pleases.
“I don’t think dieting is healthy. Chefs shouldn’t diet. I’m lucky; I can burn calories. I just stay on it,” the chef confessed.
Image credits: gordongram
#5 Anderson Cooper
Who would’ve guessed that the CNN host was ripped? On a cover for Entertainment Weekly shot in 2019, the 56-year-old news anchor surprised his following by posing with a tight cotton t-shirt that revealed his well-built physique.
Cooper took up pilates after injuring his back while on a Coast Guard helicopter covering the Houston floods.
The journalist also stays away from alcohol and doesn’t smoke.
Image credits: andersoncooper
#6 Ben Stiller
Stiller has starred in multiple films where he has shown off his muscular body, such as Tropic Thunder, Meet the Parents, Dodgeball, and The Meyerowitz Stories.
Though it remains unknown whether the Zoolander star can be frequently found in the gym, the 57-year-old has been photographed paddle boarding and playing tennis.
Image credits: Collider
#7 Stanley Tucci
When the 62-year-old actor and filmmaker posted a video on Instagram preparing a Negroni, everyone wanted to know the name of his personal trainer.
The woman who made him get those buff arms is Monique Eastwood, owner of the Eastwood Movement Method.
“Most sessions I teach are an hour long, but that could change depending on the client’s requirements that day,” the personal trainer explained. “I try to adjust the workout according to what they need.” She also mentioned the importance of constantly changing clients’ workout routines to avoid boredom.
Image credits: stanleytucci
#8 Dave Chappelle
Aged 50, the stand-up comedian takes a break from the theater stages and film studios to box and do yoga. Chappelle believes that an efficient workout routine should be interesting and challenging at the same time.
#9 Steve Carell
Rumor has it that Carell was so buff after shooting The 40-Year-Old Virgin that they thought of hiring another actor to play Michael Scott in The Office.
According to John Carrol-Lynch, who co-starred with Carell in the romcom Crazy, Stupid, Love, tackling the 61-year-old star was equivalent to “hitting a brick wall.”
Image credits: haydenandsons
#10 James Van Der Beek
Surprisingly, it wasn’t an action-packed film that motivated Van Der Beek to start lifting weights but a proposal to join the cast of the reality competition show Dancing With The Stars in 2019.
To keep up with the different choreographies, he rehearsed six hours daily for several months. Additionally, the 46-year-old consumed many fruits, vegetables, smoothies, and salads and ate vegan until dinner.
“Not so much a diet, more like only wanting to eat what I knew would make me feel good under the workload,” the Dawson’s Creek alum said.
Image credits: vanderjames
#11 Tom Hiddleston
Hiddleston’s buff figure was achieved thanks to working out five days a week, doing cardio exercises, and lifting weights. Being cast in action movies like Kong: Skull Island and Marvel Cinematic Universe as Loki motivated the 42-year-old to ditch the hamburgers and embrace the fitness life.
Image credits: BBC
#12 J.k. Simmons
Simmons’ most remarkable roles were Dr. Emil Skoda on Law & Order, music instructor Terence Fletcher in Whiplash, and prisoner Vernon Schillinger on the HBO series Oz.
The Academy Award-winning actor has been leading a healthy lifestyle since 2009. “After the second and final time that I got hugely fat in my life [… ] I pretty much decided that I was going to stay in decent shape for the rest of my life,” the 68-year-old stated.
Image credits: aaronvwilliamson
#13 Conan O’brien
In 2016, O’Brien took part in a sketch in which he worked out with Kevin Hart with the help of A-list trainer Jen Widerstorm. While he may seem to struggle in the video, the 60-year-old late-night host is no stranger to hitting the gym.
“You know how I feel? Powerful, but also pretty at the same time,” O’Brien told Gal Gadot in a different sketch after going through a series of challenging workouts with the Wonder Woman actress.
Image credits: E!
#14 Seth Meyers
Aged 49, the host of The Late Night with Seth Meyers drinks green juices and enjoys running four days a week.
Though he has jokingly referred to gyms as “germ-soaked stench factories” during a monologue, he has also shared that he likes to jog and run on the treadmill.
Image credits: sethmeyers
#15 Billy Eichner
Besides making millions of viewers laugh out loud, Billy’s other hobbies include working on his physique.
What is the entertainer’s secret for getting in shape? During an interview with Esquire, the 44-year-old comedian revealed that he runs two miles on the treadmill three times a week and keeps a vegetable-heavy, low-carb diet.
Image credits: billyeichner
#16 William Jackson Harper
The Good Place’s Chidi is known for being a dorky philosophy professor with a rather hesitant mind for making decisions. What many devotees of the show ignore is that Jackson Harper, the 43-year-old actor behind the beloved character, is quite a fan of hitting the gym.
During an episode of the series, Chidi ditches his sweater vests and preppy shirts to shop shirtless for some groceries.
Image credits: EricaFails
#17 Simon Pegg
The English actor, who came to prominence after co-directing and starring in the sitcom Spaced, underwent a six-month body transformation for his role in the 2020 thriller film Inheritance.
The effort paid off, and Pegg went from 78 kilograms to 69. All after implementing a “sound nutritious plan” and running 60 kilometers of trail runs every week, as shared by the 53-year-old’s personal trainer on Instagram.
Image credits: Nick Lower
#18 Chris Cuomo
Of course, Cuomo wasn’t going to let Anderson Cooper get away with being the most athletic news anchor on American Television.
Anyone following him on social media knows that the journalist, aged 53, enjoys running outdoors, jumping rope, and doing pushups at the gym.
Image credits: chrisccuomo
#19 Hank Azaria
You may recognize Azaria for voicing Moe Szyslak, Apu, and Chief Wiggum on The Simpsons. Now, you know that the 59-year-old actor behind the animated show’s characters is actually really ripped.
Image credits: hankazaria
#20 Manny Jacinto
Another Good Place star whose ripped body has been under the radar all along is Manny Jacinto. The 36-year-old Canadian star, who played Jason Mendoza in the NBC sitcom, trains four to five days a week. You can watch his functional workout here.
Image credits: mannyjacinto
#21 Kumail Nanjiani
The actor put on muscle to play cocky warrior Kingo in Marvel’s film Eternals. It wasn’t the producer’s idea to make him get in shape, but his wish entirely, given that the 45-year-old actor grew up reading comic books and wanted to emulate Superman’s figure.
Image credits: kumailn
#22 Josh Dela Cruz
Josh replaced Steve as the host of the children’s program Blue’s Clues. Though he appears on camera wearing a striped sweater, the 34-year-old is secretly well-built underneath, as the above photo shows.
Image credits: itsjoshdelacruz