Action Hero

There’s no pretence with HENRY CAVILL. SHEENA KHEMANEY gets to know the man beneath the cape

- Sheena Khemaney

 

HENRY CAVILL is a gentleman. It’s in his actions, his diction, his dress sense and the fact that he’s unfailingly polite. When he arrives at our top-secret photo shoot location, he’s wearing a Royal Marines Charity hoodie, blue jeans and smart brown shoes — and, until now, I’ve never seen anyone look so dapper in jeans and a sweatshirt.

During the production, Cavill holds the door open for me to walk into the location, on two occasions. It’s the small gestures that add up. This 35-year-old British actor has accomplished a lot, but still remains humble and level-headed in what’s known to be a fickle industry.

Cavill tells me that during the next few weeks he’ll be focusing on gym work and following a balanced diet consisting of four meals a day with a specific ratio of macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates), all under the supervision of his trainer, Dave Rienzi.

“We’re going to have a discussion about where we want me to be in about four or five weeks,” says Cavill, “and the diet and the training routine will reflect that. He won’t try and crush me or destroy me or anything, that’s not the point. He’s just going to make sure that the body is going to shape and mould in the way that we think is aesthetically correct for advancing my career and also for my own sake — just so it’s healthy and what I think looks good too, because I also want to go to the beach and not be worried about taking my shirt off.”

Then I ask him, “What it’s like being considered a sex symbol?” He’s a bit surprised by the question and responds by saying, “Oh, God. Am I? I don’t know if I’m considered a sex symbol. ‘I don’t know’ is the answer to that question. I think, I mean, cool? If that’s the case, yay? My brothers will have a good laugh about that.”