In 2019, The Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani went viral after posting shirtless photos to show off his physical transformation for the Marvel Studios film. Now, months later, the actor discussed the photos' effects on his self-worth and image.

THR spoke with Nanjiani and four other comedians about being funny in the age of COVID-19 and social justice. During the roundtable, he was asked what surprised him about people's reactions to the "'thirsty shirtless' photo.'"

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"My aunts saying that they were really proud of me. I did not expect that," he recalled. "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."

The photos came as a result of Nanjiani's training to play samurai and Bollywood star Kingo Shunen in The Eternals. However, his new physique didn't come without complications.

"Um, 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," he continued. "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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Directed by Chloé Zhao with a screenplay by Matthew and Ryan Firpo, The Eternals stars Richard Madden as Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Lia McHugh as Sprite, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Barry Keoghan as Druig, Gemma Chan as Sersi and Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, aka the Black Knight. The film arrives in theaters Feb. 12, 2021.