Masters of the Universe Star Reveals Why He-Man Role Was “Most Difficult Thing” He’s Ever Done

When you are dealing with a franchise as beloved and enduring as Masters of the Universe, immense expectations can’t help but follow, and that’s certainly the case for the anticipated Masters of the Universe movie. With those expectations attached, you can imagine how daunting it would be to step into the boots of the hero at the center of the franchise, He-Man, but that might be putting it mildly, as Masters of the Universe star Nicholas Galitzine has revealed why the role was the “most difficult thing” he’s ever done.

Galitzine recently spoke to Empire about taking on the role of He-Man, and specifically the challenges of bringing the character’s powerful build to life on screen. “I think anyone seeing that iconic physique would find it extremely daunting,” Galitzine said. “Even the animations put Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame: the proportions, the minuscule waist, the boulder shoulders… I had four or five months to get in shape. Truly, it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.”

Masters of the Universe Director Reveals Why Nicholas Galitzine Was Perfect For The Role

The debut trailer for Masters of the Universe gave fans their first look at Galitzine’s earthbound Prince Adam as well as his transformation into the powerful warrior of Eternia known as He-Man, and he impressed in both forms. In his normal form, Adam is more lighthearted and lovably goofy, though his memories and time on Eternia have given him valuable experience and context, so it’s not a complete fish out of water story.

That approach to the story was what informed director Travis Knight’s search for an actor, as he explained that whoever played the role needed to be able to shift between the two forms and lend each side of his persona real credibility, and that’s why Galitzine ended up landing the role.

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“I wasn’t looking for a body,” Knight said. “I was looking for a soul. I needed someone who had the spirit of this character, and could be funny and charming and heartbreaking and also plausibly a big action hero. Because there’s a duality there: Adam essentially represents empathy, He-Man represents strength.”

We see a bit of that duality in the trailer, as on Earth, Adam is working a regular job just trying to find the sword that will get him back home. He’s innately likable, but once we see his house, we see how much time he’s devoted to research in the hopes of tracking down the sword. Not only does this show his perseverance in hunting down leads for years, but it also shows how resourceful he is in trying to find that information. That’s juxtaposed with his attempt to grab the sword out of the statue’s hand at the comics shop, where he couldn’t look more out of his comfort zone.

We then see him looking immensely confident and like he belongs when the ship touches down on Eternia, standing side by side with his fellow heroes, and yet before that happens, we see Adam’s unbridled enthusiasm and joy as he sits in the Talon Fighter next to Teela. He’s like a kid again, but there’s another layer there, as he’s experiencing something he remembers from long ago and can’t help but smile that he’s finally made it back to this moment. It’s nostalgic for him, and also a reward for finally hunting down the sword, and Galitzine moves between all of those with ease in just the trailer footage alone.

Then you have him embodying the powerful warrior the franchise is built around, and he doesn’t look at all out of place there either. The transformation is as epic as fans hoped, and he looks as if he stepped out of the cartoon in terms of overall look. It’s always difficult to replicate a cartoon in terms of size and stature, but I never once questioned that he was He-Man at any point in the trailer, and that’s a testament to Knight’s approach to casting overall, as well as his decision to finally go with Galitzine.

While getting ready for the role was a challenge, Galitzine added that when it was time to wear the armor, all the work was worth it, and he became 10 times more confident. “You just become kind of abnormally confident in it,” Galitzine said. “It’s like when you do sex scenes. Everyone else in the room is more uncomfortable than you are, you know? Wandering around in this costume was empowering.”

Masters of the Universe hits theaters on June 5th.

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