Nicholas Galitzine is stepping into one of the most iconic roles in fantasy pop culture, but the journey to becoming He-Man was far from effortless. The Red, White & Royal Blue star is opening up about the grueling physical transformation required for his lead role in the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe film, set to hit theaters June 5, 2026.
The 31-year-old British actor takes over the role previously embodied by Dolph Lundgren in the 1987 film. This time, the franchise is getting a modern revival, and Galitzine says preparing for the part pushed him further than ever before. In an interview with People, he described the transformation process as “the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Galitzine, who filmed his fantasy romance 100 Nights of Hero while bulking up, said the dual workload amplified the challenge. “It was a daily challenge,” he said. “There is something incredibly empowering about committing to something so heavily. I’ve never had a challenge like that before. Every single day you have to wake up and you can see the peak of the mountain vaguely, but especially when you’re bulking. I think it would be insincere for me to say that it was easy.”
The actor admitted that gaining so much muscle mass took an emotional toll as well. He experienced moments of “body dysmorphia,” explaining, “You don’t recognize yourself, you don’t fit in any of your clothes anymore.” His growing frame even left a noticeable dent on the side of his bed. Still, the transformation felt worthwhile. “I’m so gratified that I got to experience it,” he said. “Trying to fit this very larger-than-life character is something I’ll never forget.”
Galitzine shared the first official look at his He-Man in June, posting a photo from behind in full costume, arm guards, tall boots and a longsword, while flexing his newly sculpted physique. In the caption, he wrote: “It has been an honour shouldering the responsibility of playing Adam and He-Man. It’s been the role of a lifetime and I put everything into it.”
The highly anticipated film also stars Jared Leto as Skeletor, joined by Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops and Game of Thrones alum Hafthor Bjornsson as Goat Man. Riverdale star Camila Mendes will play Teela, He-Man’s love interest.
For Galitzine, who called the role “a dream for so long,” the experience has been transformative both physically and professionally — but don’t expect him to maintain He-Man levels of muscle year-round. “It’s not something I’d be keen to do or maintain,” he said with a laugh.
With its star fully committed and its release date set, Masters of the Universe is already shaping up to be one of 2026’s most anticipated, and most thirsted-after, blockbusters.
