Paul Rudd Says It Was 'Much Harder' to Get in Shape for New Ant-Man Movie Than Previous Films
Carter Smith/Men’s Health
Paul Rudd admits that training for the new Marvel Studios Ant-Man project was a lot more difficult than it was in the past.
Rudd, 53, who is the March 2023 cover star for Men's Health, told the magazine that getting in shape for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was "so much harder" than doing so for the last movie.
"I worked really hard to get back into shape for Quantumania, and I realized, 'Oh my God, this is so much harder than it was [for the last Ant-Man project]," he related. "I had fallen off more than I had in the past. All of a sudden my clothes fit tight. And I thought, 'God, this sucks. I can't even wear these pants.'"
Marvel Studios
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"So I'd say to myself, Well, I might as well just eat some of these cookies. I was irritable and self-conscious. I just wasn't in a good mood. I really beat myself up,'" he added.
However, Rudd credited his determination and work ethic as essential keys to achieving his ideal figure.
"I can be a hyper-focused person if I have a goal. If I'm doing one of these movies and I know that in four months I have to do a shirtless scene, I'm pretty dialed in," he explained.
"I also try and find the happy medium. I could work out hard and eat perfectly and I'll still look worse than most of the other Avengers," Rudd quipped.
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Rudd, who was dubbed PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive in 2021, further joked about doing revealing scenes given the types of movies he's previously filmed them for.
"Every shirtless scene I had ever done was for comedy's sake. I had no business doing a shirtless scene [in a superhero movie]."
RELATED VIDEO: Paul Rudd Embraced His Ant-Man Training Until He Stood Next to Chris Hemsworth: 'What's the Point?'
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Rudd noted that his morning routine now includes a cup of coffee with a side of cardio as a regular practice.
"I get up and I have a cup of coffee, and then I do cardio before I eat anything. I never would've done that before [Ant-Man]," he said.
Although he originally started getting in shape for his latest role, Rudd says he's realized that his current workout routine is important to maintain, no matter the reason.
"The fitness that I do now has less to do with the fact that I might have to do another Marvel movie or a magazine shoot and more because I finally understand if you make fitness a part of your lifestyle, you'll just feel good."
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters Feb. 17.
