Eternals Star Kumail Nanjiani Hates His Workout Photos

Getting into super hero shape is a big deal. It's no easy feat but Kumail Nanjiani pulled it off [...]

By Brandon Davis

Getting into super hero shape is a big deal. It's no easy feat but Kumail Nanjiani pulled it off in exceptional fashion when he joined Marvel's The Eternals movie. The actor best known for his work in The Big Sick and Silicon Valley posted a photo of himself shirtless in gym with finely tuned muscles bursting at the seams. Quickly, the photo set the Internet ablaze and the photo was a trending topic and one which also reached Nanjiani's own family for discussions. Looking back at the release of that photo, Nanjiani is not too fond of what happened after it released, the actor has revealed.

"My aunts saying that they were really proud of me. I did not expect that," Nanjiani laughed while talking to THR. "Listen, it got so much bigger than I thought it was going to get. If I had known it was going to be like that, I probably wouldn't have done it because, I'll tell you, I have come to hate that picture."

As Nanjiani noted when he shared the photos for the first time, attaining such a physique is no easy feat and is even harder to maintain. "I don't want to get into it, but you get a weird body dysmorphia when the whole world is concentrating on how you look," Nanjiani said. "And listen, I am very, very grateful and I put those pictures out for a reason, right? I did that because I wanted that reaction, obviously. But then when you get that reaction, it's a little weird. You're like, "People are really judging little bits of your physical being." And I know a lot of people have it a lot worse than me, but it makes you feel naked and I became shallow. I got obsessed with how I look and then all I would see are what I perceive as flaws."

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I never thought I’d be one of those people who would post a thirsty shirtless, but I’ve worked way too hard for way too long so here we are. You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I found out a year ago I was going to be in Marvel’s Eternals and decided I wanted to transform how I looked. I would not have been able to do this if I didn’t have a full year with the best trainers and nutritionists paid for by the biggest studio in the world. I’m glad I look like this, but I also understand why I never did before. It would have been impossible without these resources and time. So big thanks to @grantrobertsfit who started working with me at the beginning of the year and made me understand true physical pain for months and months. Then, once we started shooting, a massive thanks to @davidhigginslondon and his team (@ellispartridge, @thebeardypt, @tomcheesemanfitness) for training me almost every day and making me strong, limber and injury free. I can almost touch my toes now. (And thank you for forcing me to do cheat meals David.) Matthews Street Catering for their delicious and healthy meals. And finally, the biggest thanks goes to @emilyvgordon for putting up with me complaining and talking about only working out and dieting for the last year. I promise I’ll be interesting again some day. #thirstyshirtless (Photo by @markupson.) (edit: I left off one very important person: @lancecallahan who trained me for 6 years and helped me build the foundation I could use to do this. Thank you!)

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It might be a little weird to have family members make your body into a pair of socks but we haven't heard him complain about that free 10-year subscription to PornHub yet.

Nanjiani wrapped his role as Kingo in Marvel's Eternals earlier this year. The film is currently set for release in February of 2021 and he may briefly return to the gig for additional photography later this year.

Marvel's updated release schedule sees Black Widow dropping in theaters on November 6th. It is followed Eternals on February 12, 2021, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on May 5 2021, Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 on November 5, 2021, Thor: Love and Thunder on February 11, 2022, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on March 25, 2022, Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022, and Captain Marvel 2 on July 8, 2022. Disney+ also has The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki, What If...? Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight on the way.

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