Nicholas Galitzine Packed On So Much Muscle For ‘Masters of the Universe’ That His Own Mom Couldn’t Hug Him

Nicholas Galitzine went through a huge physical transformation for his starring role in Masters of the Universe, and according to the actor, the changes were so dramatic that even his mother had trouble getting used to it.

Speaking to PEOPLE at a special screening of the film in New York City on June 1, Galitzine opened up about what it was like gaining so much muscle to play Prince Adam, also known as He-Man. The actor revealed that seeing family and friends after months of training led to some funny reactions.

“When you see family and friends after a long time [having not] seeing them and they’ve seen you just blow up, I mean, it’s very, very trippy for them,” he told PEOPLE.

One of the biggest surprises came from his mother.

“My family would definitely, when they try to give me a hug … My mom’s a tiny little thing. She couldn’t really reach around me. It’s so cute.”

Galitzine has spoken several times about the intense work that went into preparing for the role. In a recent interview with E! News, he revealed that he was eating around 5,000 calories a day while training. Alongside the massive diet, he spent hours in the gym almost every day to build the superhero physique needed for He-Man.

Before landing the role, Galitzine was mostly known for romantic films such as Red, White & Royal Blue and The Idea of You. Taking on a fantasy action hero required a completely different level of preparation. The actor previously told PEOPLE that transforming his body for Masters of the Universe was one of the toughest challenges he has ever faced.

“It was a daily challenge, but there is something incredibly empowering about committing to something so heavily,” he said during an earlier interview. He also admitted that the process was far from easy. “I’ve never had a challenge like that before,” Galitzine explained. “I think it would be insincere for me to say that it was easy.”

Fortunately, once filming wrapped, he was finally able to relax a little. Galitzine revealed that the director of one of his upcoming projects actually encouraged him to stop training and enjoy himself.

Speaking to PEOPLE at the movie’s world premiere in Los Angeles last month, he recalled celebrating with some of his favorite foods. “I want to say I had a combination of sushi and pizza, and I just was like, ‘Give it. Give it all to me,'” he said. The actor also shared that his next director specifically told him not to keep the He-Man physique. “Eat as much as you want and stop working out,” Galitzine recalled being told.

Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5. The film stars Galitzine as He-Man alongside Camila Mendes as Teela, Idris Elba as Duncan, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, and Jared Leto as Skeletor.

With months of intense training behind him, Galitzine is finally getting to enjoy life after He-Man. Still, his transformation clearly left a lasting impression on the people closest to him, especially his mom.

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