Henry Cavill has signed up to star in a new spy action comedy for Netflix alongside Kevin Hart, but how much to you know about the English actor?
Deadline has reported that Henry Cavill has signed up to star alongside Kevin Hart in an as-yet-untitled spy-based action comedy for Netflix.
McG is directing, and the show is based on a short story by Sean Lewis. It follows two rival spies who cross paths in a Lamaze class, and whose wives become good friends. Their double lives then collide in unexpected ways and hilarity ensues.
But how much do you know about Henry Cavill? Here are some fascinating facts you might not know about him.
Russell Crowe inspired him to become an actor
Henry was already interested in acting, having starred in productions at Stowe School in Stowe, Buckinghamshire in England, including Grease. However, in 2000, when he was 16, a chance meeting with Russell Crowe convinced him to pursue acting as a career. Henry was playing rugby, he met Russell, who was in Stowe filming the movie Proof of Life. The pair chatted, and Russell gave him some acting tips and told him about life as an actor. Soon after, Russell sent Henry a parcel of gifts, including a signed picture saying ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’
Henry and Russell later appeared together in Man of Steel in 2013, with Henry playing Superman, and Russell as his father, Jor-El.
He based his version of Superman on the comics
Henry is still arguably best known for playing Superman in the 2010s. To prepare for the role – as well as an intensive fitness and diet regime to give him the muscles he needed – rather than watch previous Superman movies or TV series, Henry instead studied the comics and used that as his primary reference for his portrayal.
Henry also famously missed the call from director Zach Snyder telling him that he had won the role of Superman, as he was playing World of Warcraft. Henry quickly phoned Zack back, joking that he had been busy saving lives.
He is a massive Warhammer 40,000 fan
As mentioned, Henry is a fan of sci-fi and gaming, on and offline. Not only is he a huge fan of World of Warcraft, but also the tabletop game Warhammer 40,000, produced by Games Workshop. Henry often posts pictures and clips on Instagram of himself painting miniature figures for his games. He has said in interviews that he can’t get enough of the lore that has been built up over the decades.
He can build gaming PCs
Henry might be an avid online gamer, but he understands the tech he plays on too. He prefers PC gaming to consoles, having been introduced to it by his father when he was a boy. Back in 2020 when he had some time on his hands due to the COVID lockdown, Henry even built his own gaming PC – and posted a video about it on YouTube, which has been viewed more than 1 million times.
He has a character named after him in a game
In recent years, Henry has also become known for playing Geralt in The Witcher in the Netflix series. The show is based on the game series of the same name and, of course, Henry had played it and that inspired him to seek out the role of Geralt when the show was being developed.
Another of Henry’s favourite games is Total War. In 2020, the makers announced they were creating a character in tribute to Henry and his Witcher character. Thusly, Cavill: Loremaster of Hoeth was created for the Total War: Warhammer II DLC.
He supports various charities
Away from acting and gaming, Henry has supported numerous charities over the years. This includes being an ambassador for The Royal Marines Charity – and he has taken part in runs to raise money for this.
Animal welfare is another cause close to Henry’s heart and he has supported the Durrell Wildwife Conservation Trust over the years.
