From afar, Henry Cavill looks like the cool kid in school. However, the A-list star admitted that his past was filled with very much the opposite, lots of insecurities.
He was ridiculed for his weight at a young age and at a certain point, Cavill wasn't doing anything about it.
Eventually, he would use the harsh words as a point of motivation and he would drastically change his look and mindset.
The journey to the top was filled with struggles. He wasn't appearing in Superman and starring alongside Bruce Willis out of the blue. It took a lot of work and as we'll see in this article, a lot of rejection along the way as well.
Things got so bad for Cavill, that he actually considered leaving the acting gig behind for good. Thankfully, auditions came at the right time, and it changed his perspective and desire.
Along the way, there were a few failed auditions. However, one sticks out among his very worst. Cavill put the blame on meeting a legendary actor who was in the room during his audition.
Given the pressure of it all, he made a mess of time in front of the legend. Thankfully for Henry, the situation took place during the early portion of his career.
It Wasn't His Last Failed Audition
Even some of the top Hollywood stars struggled with the audition process early on in their careers, just ask Emma Stone.
Cavill is also part of that equation, things got so bad that he was tempted to leave the industry behind for a spot in the armed forces.
"There were plenty of times I thought it wouldn't happen. At one stage I was like, 'If this next movie doesn't do well then I'm out, I'm going to join the Armed Forces."
Thankfully, things got better for the Superman star. A chance to audition as the new James Bond completely changed his hunger and desire levels. Although Daniel Craig landed the role, Cavill learned a lot through the audition process.
One of the criticisms had to do with his physique.
"I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, ‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry.’ I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something, because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better."
Despite the rejection, roles started to come in for Cavill, and eventually, everything changed once Superman entered the picture.
'The Lion in Winter'
Missing out on the film didn't really hurt Cavill's career. 'The Lion in Winter' was a smaller budget film, made-for-television. It was a remake of the iconic 1966 play.
The audition took place in the early 2000s, pretty much when Cavill just got started in the industry. The movie was released in 2003.
A young Cavill admits the pressure got to him when he caught word that the legendary 'Star Trek' man Patrick Stewart would be in the audition room.
"I’d been acting for three years, I was incredibly nervous to audition in front of an actor of your caliber. I had spent weeks learning my lines, and by the time I got in there, I’d whipped myself into such a frenzy that I completely flubbed the audition."
"I forgot how to act, and then I left with my tail in between my legs.”
Despite the massive letdown, Cavill gave the audition another try. Being able to try again changed his career and the words of Stewart played a huge part.
"I did another audition,” said Cavill. “It wasn’t good enough to get the job, but it was far better. You said, ‘I’m so glad that you came back,’ and that gave me such strength throughout my career, and I’ve never forgotten it.”
Oh, how things come full circle. At the pinnacle of his popularity, Cavill got the chance to interview Stewart alongside Variety in the summer of 2020. Cavill had nothing but good things to say about the legendary actor, despite the past failure.
"I've been a fan of Sir Patrick Stewart's work for as long as I can remember. So it was a real privilege to get the opportunity to speak to him with Variety."
"He is not only an incredible talent but also genuine, kind, and fantastically witty. Thank you, Sir Patrick, for being such a wonderful man and for gifting us all with your fantastic performances."
A great example for everyone on how to turn a failure into a source of motivation.
Sources: IG, Twitter, YouTube, Cheat Sheet, Mirror & Men's Health