Sometimes actors have to go through a tremendous amount of physical work to transform for a role. Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth can attest to the amount of work it takes to maintain a superheroic physique while some actors, like Christian Bale for The Machinist, have gone in the opposite direction and practically starved themselves to accurately play a role. Alexander Skarsgard falls into the former when he had to get into serious shape to play Tarzan in David Yates' The Legend of Tarzan. It takes a lot of work to get and maintain the eight pack abs a jungle man would have. Skarsgard was on a strict diet throughout the entire production and had to eat 7,000 calories a day.
According to People, Alexander Skarsgard had to do more than eat bananas (or whatever it is that gorillas eat) to get the Tarzan physique. Three months before filming even began Skarsgard had to triple his food intake. While that was going on he added 25 lbs to his frame by lifting heavy weights while being coached by his trainer buddy. This routine would begin at 4:30 a.m. every morning.
All that's just kids stuff, though. The real work began when filming actually started and Skarsgard got on set. For six whole months, Skarsgard kept to a sugar, gluten, wheat, dairy, and alcohol-free regime. He would also eat six small meals daily and work out twice a day. Rinse and repeat for six months and then you've got the greatest body you'll have in your entire life.
Apparently, Alexander Skarsgard would live vicariously through his co-star Margot Robbie. According to her, every Monday Skarsgard would ask her to describe the meals she ate over the weekend. One time he was allowed eat an apple and Robbie said that he kissed it first. That must have been the most delicious apple of Skarsgard's life.
One would imagine that once filming ended Alexander Skarsgard would finally get to pig out, and pig out he did. The 39-year-old actor told Entertainment Weekly that he sat in bed for four days while his dad just kept bringing him food. The actor said it was the best weekend of his life and it sounds like he more than earned it.
If you want to see these eight pack abs and learns what all the hubbub's about, then go check out the human ab factory Alexander Skarsgard in The Legend of Tarzan, which just released in theaters this weekend.
