10+ Things Fans Didn't Know About Henry Cavill

Jake Bean
Wikimedia

Well, considering he's the biggest thing in the world right now, maybe it's time we learned a thing or two about him.

Who knows? Maybe he'll go from "The Most Beloved Man On TV Right Now" to "The Most Beloved Man on TV Ever."

Then again, he does have to go up against Mr. Rogers...

1. He Was Almost The Young Adult Fiction King

IMDb

Two separate times we almost saw Henry Cavill in some of the biggest YA franchises of all time.

More specifically: the Harry Potter series and the Twilight series. So young women would have been fawning over him...

Way before they fawned over him as Superman.

YouTube | Variety

He was almost Cedric Diggory (who ended up being played by Robert Pattinson) and he was almost Edward from Twilight (who of course ended up being played by Pattinson again).

So yes, he lost two major roles to Robert Pattinson.

2. He Loves Animals

Not only does Henry Cavill constantly do work for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, but he's started his own wildlife conservation charity as well, the Cavill Conversation.

It saves animals that are on the brink of extinction.

In fact, not only does he love animals, but the weirder, or more feared, the more he seems to love them.

In fact, he's obsessed with bats.

So it's pretty amazing that he is a superhero that goes toe to toe with Batman.

3. He Almost Played Christian Grey

IMDb

Or at least for a while, there were rumors that he would take on the iconic role.

He even joked about being in the sequel and fans, rightfully, went wild.

4. He's The First British Man To Play Superman

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Before Henry took up the cape, the role was played by:

Bud Collyer, Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, John Haymes Newton, Gerard Christopher, Dean Cain, Tom Welling, and Brandon Routh.

All of those actors are American.

So what was it like putting on an American accent for the role?

DC

Henry Cavill says this about doing American accents:

"Doing an American accent is about exercising the muscles in your throat and your mouth. Sometimes it can sound great for a long period of time, sometimes your inflection is wrong.

He continues:

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"It all depends. As long as you've got a professional watching over you saying, "You did this wrong, you did that wrong.." it can be made to seem effortless. But you still get days when it just seems to stick in your mouth."

5. He Runs A Lot

Maybe not faster than a speeding bullet, but Cavill not only likes to run, he likes to do it for fundraisers as well. A philanthropist and a runner!

Guess I could never be Henry Cavill.

6. He's A Gamer

Know Your Meme

This has come to the attention of the internet recently, but Henry Cavill isn't just a hardcore gamer, he's part of the PC Master Race.

He almost missed his chance to be Superman because he was in a Warcraft raid!

7. He's Done A Horror Movie

IMDb

Only hardcore Cavilleers will know this, but he was in a horror movie called Blood Creek.

He, at some point, was protecting blonde ladies from zombies in an old barn.

8. "The Unluckiest Man In Hollywood"

IMDb

We've already discussed how he lost roles twice to Robert Pattinson, but he was also supposed to be James Bond after Pierce Brosnan (that didn't work) and he also lost the role of Superman to Brandon Routh for Superman Returns.

9. His Dog Is Aptly Named

I mean, it probably should have been something along the lines of Krypto (Superman's Dog) but naming him Kal is a pretty close second, I guess.

It still seems like a missed opportunity.

10. His Childhood Nickname

Bauer-Griffin.com

Oddly enough, when the Herculean man known as Henry Cavill was in boarding school, his nickname was "Fat Cavill." Because, you know, he was fat.

Ah, the British are so witty, aren't they?

11. He's been in a lot of relationships

Flickr | Henry Cavill News

Here's the list of past celebrity girlfriends:

Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory)

Ellen Whittaker (British celebrity)

Gina Carano (TV Personality, currently on The Mandalorian)

Maisa Gonzalo (Unknown, likes to hunt)

Lucy Cork (Stuntwoman)

12. He Played Sonny In 'Grease'

IMDb

Obviously not in the original film, but in a small production, Cavill played the character.

It was one of his first times using an American accent for a role!

13. He's Open About Money

He doesn't pretend to not care about the money like some actors or celebs do.

“The money’s fantastic and that’s something which I deem — and again, it is frowned upon — very important.”

“When I’m making money, I’m spending it on nice stuff,”

“Whether that be lavish holidays for me and my friends or just seeing something and going in a shop and saying, ‘Yeah, I want that for the house, I’m buying it.’” he finished.

14. He Can't Dance

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It's true, the gorgeous man can't do it all.

“When I go somewhere where there’s music playing, I’m not the guy who runs to the dance floor, I find it awkward,” he revealed.

15. His Workout Routine Has An Inspiration

Mark Twight, his trainer, wanted to give Cavill the body of Steve Reeves from 'Hercules.'

This training would eventually allow Cavill to bench-press 305 lbs with ease.

That is pretty freaking intense.

16. He Can Speak Multiple Languages

Wikimedia

He's fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian, and even has a handle on German.

He can also understand Czech but has a lot of trouble speaking it.

17. He's A Major History Buff

Wikimedia

“I thought, ‘If I’m going to study something, why not make it something I really enjoy?’ The idea was to get a degree in ancient history or Egyptology and have the armed forces sponsor me through university. And join the armed forces afterward,” he said.

18. He Actually Owns A Production Company

Giphy | Mission Impossible

He went into business with his brother and they opened up a company called Promethean Production.

“Having the opportunity to expand my horizons into film-making is incredibly exciting,” Cavill said. “Getting to work so closely with my brother in this venture is equally so.”

19. He Loves The Kansas City Chiefs

“I figured Superman’s from Kansas,” he said about local NFL legends. “I was playing Superman at the time. It just kind of made sense to me.”

20. He Is Worth $25 Million

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According to Celebrity Net Worth, the actor can thank DC for all the money that went into his 25 million dollar net worth.

So who cares what the critics say? He made his money.

21. He Was Inspired By Russell Crowe

DC

Back in 2000, when Cavill appeared as an extra Proof of Life, Cavill met Crowe, one of his heroes.

Cavill asked for advice on becoming an actor, but we don't know Crowe's reply.

But something amazing happened to Cavill shortly after their meeting.

After filming wrapped, Cavill got a box of gifts in the mail from Crowe himself.

YouTube | HitFlix

Crowe included a signed picture of himself in Gladiator, and wrote, “Dear Henry, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Talk about a dream come true!

22. He Always Shows Appreciation

To his friends that he works with, Cavill always gives them a little parting gift.

“This is just a little souvenir to keep and remember the satisfyingly hard work and the good times from start to finish,” Cavill said.

What a guy.