I read mostly historical fiction - lots of stuff set in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. I also liked sci-fi and fantasy: David Gemmell, Raymond E. Feist. It's a nice escape from the world. As much as I do love real-life stories, they can often make you hurt in a way I'd rather not hurt.
I was overweight when I went to school. In fact, I was overweight when I left, just taller. Fatty Cavill was the nickname. I mean, no one wants to be Fatty Cavill.
I suppose that when I'm building a character, it's usually related to what their family is like and who their parents are, as well as how I grew up - that nurture side.
I prefer more of the modern stuff - just because I can associate with the imagery more.
I never thought of myself as unlucky. When you aim high, it's tough to get there unless something really fortunate happens.
I like to go full bore into something. If you have a backup plan, then you've already admitted defeat.
I know there are a lot of people who like to get very involved in their characters, but I, personally, find it too involved. I just like to do it as a job - and it's my job to make it look real.
I know I can't make everyone happy, but I know I can do the most justice I can possibly do to a character, or any character, if I put my all into it. That's the choice you have to make.
I just loved the coolness of [Sean] Connery's Bond. He just sort of oozes cool.
I go to work, I do a job, I play a role, and then I go home. I don't wear a cape at home. I'm not an invulnerable alien at home.
I don't think Americans look bad in spandex.
I didn't see a lot of comic books growing up.
I didn't read comics as a kid - though, obviously, I've read a lot since.
Getting the role like this is such awonderful opportunity... I remember looking in the mirror and going 'I'm superman'.
Finding the physical aspect is important to me because that is often how we read people in everyday life.
Everyone doubts themselves. It's just a matter of admitting it or not.
At boarding school there wasn't much time for much of anything except education.
As much as I do love real-life stories they can often make you hurt in a way I'd rather not hurt. . . . For some reason, it's always the pain that gets you.
As much as everyone says that Superman is good, a lot of other people might say that that's why they find him boring A lot of Batman fans might say that.
As an outside; don't worry about failure, because failure will take care of itself. Focus on success.
A large amount of constant activity will get things going. For example, training in the morning will have everything, all the juices flowing by the time you actually get to work. So, when you're at work, you've been already up for an hour or so or two hours, and you're raring to go where everyone else is still wiping sleep out of their eyes.
A lot of the stuff you do as an actor - or I do, because I can't speak for everyone - is not always consciously thought out. A lot of the time, for me, it's actually just feeling stuff, and it happens all in the moment and your body reacts.
Certainly, for younger guys, Superman is this mythological character that they've thought about and explored in their imaginations... But one thing I really like about Superman fans is that they're so open-minded and excited and honest. There's something beautiful about their enjoyment of it - something very Superman-like.
I found very interesting - trying to separate the different facets of Superman in that way. When you're aware of how people perceive you, you can't always remain true to yourself, and that was an interesting thing for me to apply to the character as well - exploring these different facets of his personality while having certain bits of it stripped away. The arrogance of a person who would have the kind of power that Superman does - we see that in The Return of Superman. Superman is not that character, but since he has all of those powers, he has that capacity for arrogance.
I often find during a day of shooting I will speak in an American accent all day long when I'm doing dialogue. At the end of the day, it often takes an effort when I'm talking to my fiancee to bring my English back just because you're so used to speaking that way.
