With superhero films turning into the most lucrative and popular of movie franchises, many new fans are won over each day. Fans, young and old, look to these superheroes as the inspirations that they are supposed to be -- that they were always meant to be. Whether you are a longtime comic book reader or a new fan that religiously watches these superhero movies, you understand the strength, the value and the symbolism behind some of these famous heroes. But few superheroes can hold a candle to the ultimate source of inspiration and hope that is the last son of Krypton, Superman.
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Henry Cavill may have looked the part when the actor was chosen to portray Superman and start up the DC Extended Universe of movies in Man of Steel, but what no one could have foreseen was just how much of a real-life embodiment of Superman the actor actually was. Some would even go so far as saying that the actor is even more of a Superman than the slightly darker, more-brooding character he portrays on the big screen. Today, CBR turns its attention to Henry Cavill's very own Instagram page and lists 15 times where the actor showed us how much of a Superman he really is.
15 TRAINING GOALS
In this new, post-Hugh Jackman day and age of actors transforming their bodies to accurately portray the greatest superheroes of the comic book world, Henry Cavill approached the role of Superman the only way he could: by training like few had ever done before. And the results speak for themselves, as we saw Cavill easily pull off the Kryptonian spandex in Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman.
Before the cameras would roll a few years later, on Justice League, the actor once again had to go through an arduous training to don the red cape once more. While this picture was posted on Cavill's Instagram page, the real kicker came in the caption of the photo, which stated that he was only beginning his training, setting himself a minimal goal and giving himself the will to train on. That's right, this was only the minimum. Nothing less.
14 VISITING TIMES SQUARE... WITH A SUPERMAN SHIRT ON
How does one prove to be the ultimate Superman? By proving that he can be just as convincing as Clark Kent, of course! In this post, Cavill shows that he took a stroll through Times Square during the height of the Batman v. Superman marketing. As giant, sky-high posters surrounded him, Cavill simply stood there, among the people, to see if anyone would indeed recognize him.
With a smile on his face, he even wore a Superman t-shirt in broad daylight to hide even better in plain sight. If any fan of Superman comics, cartoon or movies ever doubted how anyone wouldn't recognize Clark Kent to be Superman, Cavill easily and in one fell swoop proved all of them wrong. And if that wasn't enough, he even went to Starbucks to get a coffee.
13 TOOK THE CHALLENGE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Proving that training for the part of Superman wasn't hard work enough, Cavill refused to just lie down. A firm believer and spokesman for many great charity causes, our real-life Superman also trained, while filming, to take part in the Durrell Challenge, a 13 kilometer race that takes place in Jersey, in the Channel Islands. This challenge was for a great cause as well: to raise funds for wildlife conservation.
Whether he's training seriously or simply having fun with it, as seen in this video, Cavill's goal is not only to participate himself in this challenge, but to inspire others to do the same. Like the real Superman, Cavill is there to offer hope and inspire people to be better and to better help the world they live in! That's pretty super!
12 HIGH FIVES A KID DRESSED AS SUPERMAN
Sometimes, being an actor means going through overwhelming red carpet movie premieres with tons of screaming fans demanding autographs, hugs and selfies. Not only did Cavill go through all of it with a smile on his face during the Batman v. Superman premiere, he even took the time to show just how much he cares about inspiring others.
As seen in this video, Cavill spotted a young child waving at him, dressed as his favorite superhero (Superman of course). Cavill was quick to shake the boy's hand, but he didn't stop there. He then signed the S-logo of the boy's costume, and then demanded the most epic, cutest and heart-warming high-five ever. Such a small gesture goes a long way to show what kind of a (Super)man Cavill really is.
11 THANKING THE DC FANS
This is one post where the message was just as important as the actual image. The highly-anticipated Batman v. Superman movie was released to very mixed reviews among critics, surprisingly and sadly ranging from mediocre to bad. But Cavill didn't take this news lying down. Instead, he chose to look for the light, and saw hope in the fans that showed their support for the movie.
Posting a picture of the Superman statue seen in Metropolis in Dawn of Justice, the metaphor wasn't lost on his fans. In the movie, this statue had been erected in honor of Superman, the man who saved Metropolis, and now Cavill was giving it back to the fans. This statue signifies hope, and this time he was the one thanking others for allowing hope to live on.
10 DEADLIFTING LIKE A KRYPTONIAN
Yes, Henry Cavill has trained, from one DCEU movie to the next, to become the perfect physical interpretation of Superman. But it's not all about looks. Cavill's weight-lifting training is also very much steeped in functional training and cross-fitness. It's not only that he looks as strong as Superman is, he almost literally IS as strong as the Kryptonian.
In this picture, you can see just how many pounds Cavill can deadlift. And it's definitely in the high three figures range. This is just merely one example of the actor going above and beyond the realm of fitness possibilities. Cavill likes a challenge, and he likes to push himself. The result, as we can see, is someone who is not only incredibly strong, but also very inspiring when it comes to pushing one's self past their limits.
9 SOME FRIENDLY COMPETITION WITH MARVEL
As comic book fans know (and sometimes even swear by), there can be quite a bit of competition between Marvel and DC Comics. While it started out in the comic book world, it seems the rivalry shifted to the big screen with the increasing popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as the DCEU. So it only seems fair that Cavill, as one of the spokesperson of his own franchise, keeps up appearances.
Pictured here with a microphone standing next to an image of actress Scarlett Johansson, Cavill wrote that according to this source, Superman was “better than Captain America.” Clearly done as a joke, this little friendly jab keeps the rivalry flames burning, and it not only shows how much fun these actors can have with their roles, but also what these roles mean to the fans.
8 MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING
As if Henry Cavill hadn't already proved to us that he was willing to put his body through intense physical training to get ready for his role, the Superman actor also went on to prove that one discipline wasn't enough. From running and weight-lifting to crossfit training, Cavill also showed us that he knew how to fight. If super-strength wasn't enough, he went on to prove how much of a real-life crime-fighter he can really be.
Sparring with trainer Roger Gracie, Cavill once again goes above and beyond to show that there are no limits to what one can learn and accomplish. Adding martial arts training to his already impressive physical skills and his hope-filled and inspiring persona, this is just one of the many more reasons that Henry Cavill is actually Superman hiding in plain sight.
7 WISHES BEN AFFLECK HAPPY BIRTHDAY
As Batman and Superman, Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill no doubt spent a lot of time together as they filmed their rigorous and epic fight scenes on the set of Batman v. Superman and traveled the world as part of the movie's press tour. In doing so, they seem to have developed a friendship and a bond just as legendary as the one Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne have in the DC universe.
Henry Cavill took a bit of time out of his busy day to prove that greatness is all in the little things, with a simple, humorous post of a batarang stuck in a cake as he wished his friend and co-star Ben Affleck a happy birthday. Once again, Cavill showed that he has a great sense of humor and does his best to spread the love all around. Just like Superman.
6 TOOK THE COMMANDO CHALLENGE FOR ROYAL MARINES
If training to be strong like Superman, learning how to fight, setting himself unbelievable lifting goals, and running 13 kilometers for charity and wildlife conservation weren't enough, Henry Cavill just went even further ahead to prove what an inspiring figure he really is. Always up for a new challenge, Cavill signed up to take part in the Commando Challenge.
The challenge itself is an obstacle course event, one that is usually reserved for the United Kingdom's Royal Marines hopefuls, a run through the mud that could leave anyone physically wrecked. But participating in the challenge and daring anyone willing to try to come take part in the race is just part of Cavill's inspiration> He also did it all to raise awareness and donations for the Royal Marines Charity.
5 HAS THE CUTEST DOG NAMED KAL
If Henry Cavil hasn't done his darned best to warm his way into our hearts with his inspiring persona, his charity work and his utter devotion to the role of Superman inside and out, his new canine best friend is enough to melt our hearts completely. Not only is this possibly one of the cutest dogs ever, he also has the best, most heart-warming name: Kal -- as in Kal-El, Superman's Kryptonian name.
With this thematically-appropriate name, it's enough to illustrate not only how important the role is to Cavill, but how important this dog is to him. Many pictures on the actor's Instagram page feature his dog, with captions that tell us how grateful he is for his fluffy companion. In fact, there are so many that it was difficult to choose only one to show you how incredibly adorable Kal is.
4 RECOVERED FROM INJURY
Superman might be an indestructible alien from another planet, but, unless we are proven the contrary (which honestly could happen), Henry Cavill is still just a man. And men are prone to injury. One of the caveats of training mercilessly and taking part in such daunting physical challenges is that sometimes, injuries do happen, and there is no super-fast healing involved. Only time, rest and dedication will heal these wounds.
Cavill spent a long time recovering from a knee injury, documenting his progress on Instagram. Starting from running in the pool, to strengthening his knee and going back on the road, Cavill kept at it as he focused on once again taking part in the 13-kilometer Durrell Challenge run. That's how dedicated he is. Even injured, he focused on the good, and his desire to help save the world.
3 SAVED A TURTLE ON A RUN
Sometimes, the true definition of a superhero is not what he does when everyone is looking at him through a camera lens, but what he does when there isn't anyone around. And, if further proof was ever needed, Henry Cavill showed us that he really is the hero we deserve. This video, while doing the rounds on the Internet, was actually not shared on Cavill's own Instagram page.
Unbeknownst to him, Cavill was filmed by onlookers as the actor, while out on a jog on the side of the road, stopped in the middle of his training to help out a turtle that was heading towards traffic. He grabbed the little fella and carried him to a safer destination away from speeding cars. If that isn't enough proof that Cavill really is Superman, we don't really know what else to tell you.
2 OFFERED ONE WINNER A FLIGHT TO LONDON FOR CHARITY
Not only did Henry Cavill take part in the Commando Challenge obstacle mud race to help raise funds and awareness for the UK's Royal Marines Charity, he also once more proved how much he cares for this cause by teaming up with the folks at Omaze to raise even more money for the charity by offering one lucky winner the chance to fly to London and share drinks with him inside the Coca-Cola London Eye.
With each contestant donating to the charity for their chance to win, Cavill and Omaze managed to raise over 133,000 euros. This just further goes to prove that Cavill is always willing to go the extra mile to raise awareness for a cause he truly cares about. Whether it's wildlife conservation of Royal Marines, Henry Cavill is there to help. Like a true superhero.
1 HE CAN FLY
It's one thing to look the part of Superman and to actually be as strong as him in the gym, but then it's another thing altogether to actually portray Superman convincingly on the screen. On this behind-the-scenes picture of the appropriately grandiose brawl between Batman and Superman, we see the lengths Cavill will go to give fans the Superman they deserve.
While we knew he took his role very seriously, this just further goes to show how much the actor gives it his all. Doing some of his own wire-work and stunts, Cavill finally achieved the last item on the Superman checkbox: flight. Sure, he might need a little bit more help than the fictional superhero, but as far as we are concerned, Henry Cavill really and fully is Superman, inside and out.
What do you think of Henry Cavill as Superman? Let us know in the comments!