Josh Brolin has been a formidable presence in Hollywood since he was a teen, but these
days, his body is getting as much attention as his body of work.
The acclaimed actor has packed on a ton of muscle for an upcoming larger-than-life role.
Here's how Josh Brolin got so massively jacked for his role as Cable in Deadpool 2.
Comically large
Brolin's ascension to swoleness began on the page, with the actor taking a few drawings
of Cable to one of his personal trainers to get specific about what he wanted.
But here's the thing—Cable's most well-known look was put together by Rob Liefeld, an artist
whose work is frequently defined by insanely pumped-up, stylized, and unrealistic body
shapes.
Justin Lovato, a personal trainer and bodybuilder who worked with Brolin on his look, said to
get even halfway close to the insanely huge upper body Cable has in the comics, Brolin
spent three hours a day in the gym for six weeks straight.
Killing the carbs
Brolin had to wean himself off of carbohydrates to get cut like Cable, and he wasn't happy
about it at first.
In one of many of his inspirational Instagram posts, Brolin laid it all out: "Cable's coming,
growing from the inside.
Clean building from a past of donut travel to the present hard case that he is.
No sugar.
No bread.
No pastas.
The machine is being built.
I'm pissed off."
In another post, a recording of an upper-body workout, he shared his pride in going "totally
clean": "No drugs, none of it.
Fish, rice, eggs, veggies, water ... I'm almost 50.
It's a different time: our access along with some big picture discipline results in always
surprising milestones.
Get on the train."
Cheat day
To transform into Cable, Brolin says it required intense mental focus to stay in a fit frame
of mind, but it's also okay to have a cheat day, as long as it benefits that mindset.
"This challenge has been an awakening that there is no excuse, ever, but there's no need
for perfection.
Cheat days replenish and tell your body it's okay.
It keeps it from panicking, which usually shuts it down and ends up giving you a worse
result.
Keep at it, then when that day comes, MURDER THAT FRIGGIN DONUT!"
Support network
Of course no one gets movie-star buff without a little professional help, and Brolin acknowledged
that the progress he made with his body is the result of a team effort, writing, "It
takes a small village," in an Instagram post tipping his hat to his trainer.
And of course, he always has a shout out for Kathryn Brolin, his wife, business partner,
and frequently the eye behind the camera for his fitness clips on social media.
The actor also finds encouragement through fellow members of the thespian league of muscleheads—performers
like professional wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, a man Brolin calls his "great swole
mentor."
Brolin also related a delightful encounter he had with the man who plays Drax the Destroyer
in a post on Instagram.
"Just saw @davebautista at the gym and he said: 'What the f--- happened to you?!'
Haha.
Best compliment ever."
Friendly competition
While positive encouragement is always nice, having a rival can be beneficial, as well,
encouraging a spirit of a competition.
Brolin has gotten plenty of that motivation from Deadpool 2 co-star Ryan Reynolds, who
tags social media photos of Cable "#PremiumCABLE" and "#Maximuma------."
For his part, Brolin is more than capable of firing back.
On Instagram he shared a photo of the two stars side-by-side on competing magazine covers:
"Ryan Reynolds' Smart Ass Secrets or Josh Brolin's beating his demons to become Hollywood's
go to Hellraiser?
... It's just not fair."
On brand
Along with his wife Kathryn, the actor recently launched an activewear clothing line, Prevail,
which he promotes in his workout posts and frequently sport.
It's not just for his own bottom line, either—the limited edition CABLESWOLE line of t-shirts,
tank tops, and hoodies benefits organizations like the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
So in addition to keeping him healthy, getting swole for Deadpool 2 has also helped the 49-year-old
raise money for charity and promote the family business.
Double duty
Brolin is not only getting ripped to play Cable — he's also staying fit to once again
play Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.
Yes, Thanos is largely CGI and makeup, but the wizards at Marvel will also be putting
as much of Brolin's physical performance on screen as they can through the process of
motion capture.
Fortunately, Brolin's done the hard work, and the whole world will get to see the fruits
of his labor when the one-two punch of a new Avengers movie and Deadpool 2 hit cinemas
in 2018.
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