The Marvel Cinematic Universe, in addition to a number of other Marvel-based movies, have given popularity to a vast number of actors.
Hugh Jackman, Chris Evans, and many others can credit a large portion of their fan base to the respective Marvel movies that they starred in.
Even actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch who were well known actors before they became Marvel heroes saw their careers boom after starring in these movies.
Considering that these stars have to play superheroes, it is understandable that many of them have had to “beef up” for their heroic roles.
Heavy workout training and vigorous diets are not uncommon for action stars, but considering that many of these actors had to look almost god-like for their roles, they had to go above and beyond to boost their appearance to a new level.
While some actors put on pounds of muscle for their movies, other actors didn’t need to put on as much. Instead, many of these stars have shown how heroic they can really be by being some of the kindest people in the real world.
Whether they’re visiting sick children in the hospital, donating many of their earnings to those in need, or doing other heroic duties, these actors tend to take their good-guy roles to a new level.
Here are the 10 Marvel Actors Who Are Legitimately Tough (And 10 Who Are Only Tough On Screen).
Tough: Chris Evans
How does someone who is a normal human manage to make themselves look like a scientifically-enhanced super soldier? With vigorous workouts and dieting, of course.
In the few months Evans had between being cast in Captain America: The First Avenger and actually shooting the movie, Chris Evans had to work out essentially non-stop.
He would do weight lifting and other body-building exercises for several hours each day, followed up by the least appetizing of meals.
While this is not uncommon in the movie industry, Evans actually has had to keep this practice up for the past 8 years since then, considering that he has appeared as Steve Rogers in an MCU movie every year since.
It’s very likely that Evans has been looking forward to retiring as Captain America so maybe he will actually be able to rest for a day and eat a burger.
Not Tough: Robert Downey Jr.
While Robert Downey Jr. is certainly fit, he’s not exactly tough. Though he did add a lot more muscle to his physique in Iron Man 3, Robert Downey Jr. has showed his greatest qualities by helping those in need.
The Iron Man star is certainly no stranger to donating to charities and visiting hospitals, but quite possibly the greatest example of Downey’s generosity was when he hand-delivered a bionic arm to a young Avengers fan who was born with a partially developed arm.
For this heartwarming experience, Robert Downey Jr. stayed in the character of Tony Stark as he donated the bionic arm to the boy, absolutely making his day and ultimately changing his life.
It’s actions like this that show how great of a person Robert Downey Jr. truly is.
Tough: Chris Pratt
When Chris Pratt was first cast in Guardians of the Galaxy, director James Gunn was actually completely okay with him not having any muscle, despite that being an important part of the character for him originally.
Regardless, Pratt put himself on an intense workout schedule and diet to capture the appearance of a superhero anyways.
During his training, Pratt managed to drop 60 pounds in 6 months, which is incredible. Looking at Pratt in the early seasons of Parks & Recreation and at Pratt in his movies today feels like looking at two completely different people.
Of course, there came the issue of explaining his sudden wait loss for Parks & Recreation, but this was actually an easy fix.
All Pratt’s character had to do was say he quit drinking beer, and then the problem was solved.
Not Tough: Ryan Reynolds
When you’re a superhero like Deadpool, you don’t need to rely on muscle in order to win fans’ hearts. All you need is some humor and some heart.
While Ryan Reynolds certainly does have muscle, his true qualities are shown in his actions in his personal life.
Not only is Ryan Reynolds one of the funniest people on Earth, but he’s also one of the sweetest.
For years, Reynolds has been helping and donating to sick people, but his most recent act of charity may be the most notable.
Reynolds recently teamed up with Omaze to start a fund-raising campaign for the charity group LetsFCancer.
Reynolds has put a lot of his own stuff at stake, including some of his merchandise, his voice, and even his personal pink Deadpool suit.
Tough: Chris Hemsworth
Considering that he is essentially playing a god, Chris Hemsworth likely had the most at stake in preparing for his Marvel Cinematic Universe role.
While Hemsworth was undoubtedly buff before being cast as Thor, he still had a lot more muscle to put on before playing the Norse god.
For months before each Thor and Avengers movie, Hemsworth would push his body mercilessly to the limit in order to get the best physical results.
He would do cardio, curls, chest workouts, and even kickboxing to put his body on the same level as Thor’s.
Those who follow Hemsworth on Instagram are familiar with his intensive workout routine, as he will regularly post shirtless pictures of himself vigorously pushing his body to the limit.
Not Tough: Scarlett Johansson
Many celebrities get publicity for their acts of charity, but for whatever reason, the media rarely covers the charitable acts of Scarlett Johansson, despite the amount of work she has actually done.
Over the years, Johansson has worked with a number of charitable organizations like USA Harvest and Oxfam to give food to those in need.
She has traveled to a large number of third-world countries to help the hungry, including Sri Lanka and India.
Scarlett Johansson first started helping to feed those in need after Hurricane Katrina.
After she witnessed first-hand the struggles of the hurricane survivors, Johansson’s eyes were opened, and she worked for many years to come to help people like that down the road, making sure those she helped would not need to worry about having food on their plate again.
Tough: Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin has never been a weak actor, having played “tough guy” roles for decades, but when he was cast in Deadpool 2, the Goonies actor decided to step it up a level.
Brolin looked up some of his favorite pictures of Cable from the comics, sent them to his trainer, and then proceeded to work out senselessly for months.
Brolin became so ripped for his antagonist role in the Deadpool sequel that he even attracted the attention of WWE legend and Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista, who was in total shock of how ripped he had become.
While Brolin’s muscles may be completely CGI in Avengers: Infinity War, where he plays the Mad Titan Thanos, his single non-CGI arm in Deadpool 2 is pure muscle.
Not Tough: Jeremy Renner
Jeremy Renner is no stranger to the hero role in movies like The Avengers and The Hurt Locker, and he’s certainly not afraid to show how much of a hero he is in the real world.
After the devastation caused from Hurricane Harvey late last year, the Hawkeye actor donated tens-of-thousands of dollars to Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
The money went to transporting many of the endangered patients’ to a safer location, in addition to helping those who were in need of medical attention after the hurricane.
Renner has never been a stranger to donating to those in need, but this was one of his most recent and inspiring examples of generosity.
You can laugh at Hawkeye all you want, but deep down, Jeremy Renner is an amazing guy.
Tough: Tom Holland
Rather than working out constantly like Chris Hemsworth, Spider-Man: Homecoming star Tom Holland actually uses Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS), which is a 20-minute workout process where he is strapped to a machine.
It is said to accomplish 2 hours of training in a fraction of the time.
According to Holland’s trainer, Holland struggled the first few weeks of using EMS, saying that he could barely even walk after. However, the effects did pay off overtime.
“Tom was already a pretty lean guy," said his trainer, “so it was more about toning up so that he looked extra fit in the suit.”
This goal was certainly achieved, as Holland does appear to be very tough as Spider-Man, with some well toned muscles.
Not Tough: Mark Ruffalo
Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo may be a big brute on the big screen, but in person, he is one of the sweetest people around.
Ruffalo regularly looks out for the “little guy,” bringing attention to injustices created by the government and making sure that everyone’s rights are respected and preserved.
The greatest example of Ruffalo’s good intentions was during the Standing Rock protests.
During this time, the Natives of Standing Rock were in danger of having their land taken, and Ruffalo would regularly go out to help them protest to keep their land.
When winter hit, Ruffalo knew that the native protesters would not stop standing their ground.
In an attempt to keep helping them, Ruffalo bought them shelters and generators for heat in order to keep them alive and well through the months of cold.
Tough: Hugh Jackman
When Broadway theater actor Hugh Jackman was first cast in the X-Men franchise as Wolverine, many comic-book fans were furious with his inclusion.
Today, he is one of the most beloved Marvel actors of all time, and fans honestly cannot imagine Wolverine being played by anyone else.
his physique was certainly a big part of this. Jackman made himself into a jacked man with a very intensive diet and workout routine.
Some people who knew about the details of Jackmans’ workout regimen were actually concerned, as it would have him waking up extremely early in the morning in order to fit enough workout time in before his busy days.
This would leave him only around 5 hours to sleep each night. This is very unhealthy for mental health, but Hugh Jackman pushed through in order to maintain a strong physique for the role.
Not Tough: Samuel L. Jackson
Nick Fury actor Samuel L. Jackson may play tough, but in reality, he is actually a very nice and generous person.
Jackson has worked with a number of charities over the years in order to help those in need.
Many of the recipients of Jackson’s work and donations are sick children, in addition to a number of people with diseases like A.I.D.s. Jackson’s most prominent work has been with Artists For A New South Africa, which helps those in medical need in Africa.
The organization was originally assembled to help the people’s rights in that area, but now that that mission has been accomplished, they continue working to fight for their health.
This is where Jackson has donated most of his charitable funds to over the past few years, and it really is a great cause.
Tough: Aaron Taylor Johnson
While most superhero actors have to put on muscle for a superhero role, Aaron Taylor Johnson, who appeared as Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron, had to lose some.
Taylor Johnson had previously starred in the Kick-Ass series, where he had to put on a lot of muscle in order to appear as a legitimately threatening superhero, despite having no powers.
After he was cast in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Taylor Johnson sent a few pictures of his physique to director Joss Whedon, to which Whedon replied with two words: “too bulky.”
In order to appear as a speed-based character rather than strength-based, Taylor Johnson actually had to lose his immense upper-body muscle and instead only focus on legs and cardio.
Needless to say, Aaron Taylor Johnson did not forget leg day.
Not Tough: Tom Hiddleston
Despite playing one of the Avengers’ most notable villains, actor Tom Hiddleston is actually one of the nicest people on the planet.
Hiddleston is an actual sweetheart with his fans and with the press, and his enormous smile is absolutely contagious.
When asked about why he is always so nice, Hiddleston explained that it had to do with his first job as a waiter.
“It was at a showy opera festival in a barn in Oxfordshire,” Hiddleston explained. “I did it for a whole summer and people would be so extraordinarily rude that it made me decide that I would never be rude in my life, specifically to people who were kind enough to serve me things.”
Tough: Chadwick Boseman
Chadwick Boseman has actually been getting ripped for years now, long before he was cast as T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War.
His first physically demanding role was the lead role of Jackie Robinson in 42, which, being a sports movie, understandably required Boseman to put on quite a bit of muscle.
Later, for Get On Up, Boseman had to portray the legendary soul singer James Brown.
While most wouldn’t see this as a physically demanding role, it was actually an intensive experience in order for Boseman to match up to Brown’s dance moves.
While training for the role, Boseman had to dance for 8 hours each day, which can become a very strenuous workout.
By the time Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther came along, Boseman didn’t have to put much more work in to enhance his physique. His past experiences had already left him ripped.
Not Tough: Benedict Cumberbatch
Being fit and muscular is cool and all, but does it get you recognized by the Queen of England?
Usually not. However, being a truly amazing and fantastic person does, which is how Benedict Cumberbatch earned his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) honor in 2015.
The Doctor Strange star was honored by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in late 2015 for the vast amount of charity work he has done over the years.
Cumberbatch regularly works with charities like “Save the Children” when he is not shooting a movie, raising money for the organizations and even shooting awareness material for their causes.
Cumberbatch is also well known as a theater actor, which he still does today. As it turns out, a lot of the money he receives from acting on stage goes directly to charity.
Tough: Tessa Thompson
When actress Tessa Thompson took the role of Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok, she wanted to take her training to a new level.
Rather than appearing as a beautiful objectified female superhero as many female superheroes are perceived in the comic-books, Thompson wanted Valkyrie to appear strong, proving herself to be a formidable ally to Thor.
“I gained about 15 pounds of muscle mass,” said Thompson.
She continued: “I like the idea that [a woman] can just be ripped, like Valkyrie is in the comics. Yeah, I found that sort of essential, that not really caring about how I looked, but caring more about how I felt. I felt so strong, and in my skin.”
Not Tough: James McAvoy
Despite having a rather successful career, X-Men star James McAvoy rarely tries to take the spotlight, and instead tries to live a humble life. Part of this humble life includes a vast amount of charitable work.
Over the years, McAvoy has worked with a number of charities, including the Ugandan children’s charity Retrak and the British Red Cross.
McAvoy has gone public with his work with Retrak in order to raise awareness for the charity, including base jumping from the world’s tallest hospital building.
He described it as a “terrifying” experience, but it was effective in bringing attention to the charity that was close to his heart.
He has also spent a fair amount of time in Uganda, helping children in need alongside the British Red Cross.
Tough: Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie, who has played the superhero Falcon in a number of MCU movies over the years, has actually been keeping up his physique for years, even before being cast in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
While he did need to beef up a little more for this particular role, Mackie has always been working on staying fit.
He has always tried to look good, desperate to keep a great physique, knowing it will help him both with his career and with his self-esteem.
“Every now and then you take a role where you can eat po’boys and drink all day,” said Mackie. “I’m at that age now, mid-30s, where, if you put [weight] on, it’s most likely going to stay with you forever.”
Not Tough: Ian McKellen
X-Men and Lord of the Rings actor Sir Ian McKellen may be well known for his acting, but that’s not how he wants to be remembered.
Since the ’80s, McKellen has played a large role in fighting for gay rights in the UK.
He was actually a co-founder of Stonewall, which is the number one LGTBQ rights charity in the UK that played a major role in legalizing gay marriage in the country.
For decades, McKellen has been fighting for people’s rights, proving himself to be a truly amazing person.
“I’m very proud of my small contributions to changing the law in this country and changing attitudes, all for the better," said McKellen. “And I suppose in the scheme of things that is more important and the more merit and longer lasting than any acting that I have done.”
Can you think of any other Marvel actors who are tough (or extremely sweet) in real life? Sound off in the comments!
