What would Chris Hemsworth’s stunt double know about battling with body image? The answer may surprise you...
He may double for a superhero, yet as a mere mortal like the rest of us, Bobby is not immune to insecurity. While the ‘body positivity' movement for women has grown in recent years, new research in the UK shows that almost half of men aged 16-40 struggled with their body image, and only 26 percent were happy with how they look. For some men, the pandemic intensified existing body image insecurities.
Given Bobby’s body is how he earns his living, we wondered if these feelings might be amplified in our resident stuntman – who admits to being a “huge worrier” and “over-thinker”.
We grabbed him before he jumped on a plane to his next filming location to talk about his insecurities, why his body is always a work in progress, the fact fitness is never a straight line, and what his experience with body image can teach us.
For Bobby and Chris, smouldering is serious business.
Bobby, you’ve joked about getting the call from Chris saying it was time to get ‘bigger than ever’ for the next Thor movie. But what is it really like to be under that kind of pressure?
It’s scary knowing you’re entering a new realm of having to be the strongest and healthiest you have ever been. But once it’s in my head and I start, I’m fully in focus mode to achieve it. I try my hardest at the time, but in the back of my head I feel I can always push it further.
Your career is your body, and has been for most of your life. How has that has affected your self-image?
Honestly, because my body is a major focus in my life, I’m never really satisfied! I always feel I can do better and I guess that’s a huge part of my drive to be the best I can be – so I’m always working on it.
Do you have any insecurities about your body?
The list is too long (laughs). I guess I still have a young soul and heart, and think I can keep doing what I do forever – a bit like Peter Pan. But things start to hurt more now and the recovery time is taking a little longer than before. Still, honestly, I feel great for 37.
You had to give up gymnastics when you grew too tall. What was that like?
I went through a big growth spurt when I was 14 or 15. Over an 18 month period I went from smallest at my club to tallest in the country in gymnastics at my age. It was really tough because the rule for a gymnast is the smaller the better. Honestly, I struggled when I retired at 17, but then I played semi-pro football which I loved and it turned out to be perfect for my job now as a stuntman.
That experience taught me there’s no ‘perfect’ body. It’s all about figuring out what your body can do, what it’s suited to, and what you enjoy.
Find Bobby’s Plyo workouts on the Centr app.
Do you ever take a break or do you need to stay in action-ready physical condition?
I am confident I can get back to where I need to be, as long as I know when that’s going to be (laughs). Taking time out to eat a little treat food is good. You allow yourself to relax, then come back even harder and stronger when it’s time. It’s important to remember that fitness – and the shape you are in – is not a straight line. You’re always at different stages of the journey, and you need to learn to enjoy every step of that journey.
What do you see yourself doing beyond stunt work in the future?
I hope I still have some fuel in the tank for a bit. I wrote a children’s book (The Adventures of Eddie and Flip Boy), hopefully that will become a series of books. I also have a role in an action-comedy called School Fight – can’t let Chris have all the fun! My injuries have taught me that this level of stunt work won’t last forever, which is why it’s really important for my future to have other stuff going on.
This is something that inspires me about Centr members – they’re so open to trying different styles of training and new challenges. It can be daunting for anyone to pick up and try a new program or something they're not used to, but the amount of people that have is absolutely incredible.
Do you have any tips for those of us who aren’t fitness professionals on how to respect and appreciate our bodies?
My advice would be to always embrace who you are, but set goals, challenge yourself and aim to do things that put you outside of your comfort zone. There are things that only you can achieve – so find out what they are, and go for it. Taking the plunge is always scary, but well worth it in the end.
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