“I put in enough work for those scenes. Damn right I’m going to take my shirt off. And if people like that, it’s fine by me. That’s flattering — but objectifying? Not in the least.”
— Henry Cavill, Healthy For Men Magazine

Henry Cavill insisted his frequent topless scenes don’t make him feel objectified because he works hard to stay in shape, and if audiences also like to catch a glimpse of his body, it’s flattering.

Asked if his shirtless scenes make him feel objectified, The Witcher actor said: “I put in enough work for those scenes. Damn right I’m going to take my shirt off. And if people like that, it’s fine by me. That’s flattering, but objectifying? Not in the least.”

While the 36-year-old actor is proud of his physique, he had to step it up before starting work on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice after meeting co-star Ben Affleck and feeling “puny” next to him.

He told Healthy For Men magazine: “Like most things in life, you put yourself at a certain level and I thought I was in good shape going into that film. Then I met Ben Affleck.”

“What struck me first was how funny he was, but man was he ripped as well. I’ve never been the type of guy to get involved in any sort of macho one-upmanship but I admit I was more than a bit intimidated and it gave me the desire to push it a bit more, because Ben is really built. The guy is huge. I am puny by comparison.

“He is much bigger than I expected, this huge presence and vast physicality. I had to step it up. When you see this mountain of a man walking around set, you think, ‘I’ve got to get to the gym … yesterday.’”

One form of exercise Henry has never been a fan of until recently is running.

He admitted: “I never liked it. I didn’t have the frame for it and it didn’t hold my attention for an amount of time that would mean I could enjoy it.”

“But now I’m not so anti it. I’ve found a new type of peace in running. At the point where I can switch off from it, I begin to enjoy it … which sounds strange, but I’m sure it’s an emotion many other runners can relate to. It’s that drifting into autopilot that really moves you on.”