From Hollywood to Home: Black Voices in Entertainment
- Training tailored to character; some actors, like María Gabriela de Faría, trained intensely with early morning gym sessions.
- Workouts centered on big compound movements like squats and leg presses, paired with plyometric jumps for power and cardio.
- Trainer Paolo Mascitti prioritized macronutrients: 0.75 to 1 gram protein per pound, evenly spaced, slight caloric deficit, moderate carbs.
- Physical training supported acting; achieving results required time, commitment, professional teams, and keeping the prep fun.
It wouldn’t be a new “Superman” film without some superwomen. While the story’s titular hero is canonically ripped, our eyes were on the women of DC — all of whom looked stronger than ever. Behind-the-scenes photos of their training only confirmed these actors were putting in the work, and with toxic diet culture rapidly rebounding, it’s refreshing to see so many strong women gracing the big screen. But building that kind of muscle takes some serious time, discipline, and a whole lot of protein.
Curious what these women went through to get into superhero shape? Same here. While we can’t guarantee that following their exact regimens will yield the same results, there are elements of their routines that may help you feel like a superhero in your own right. To find out more, we spoke with the trainer responsible for their transformations: Paolo Mascitti. Read on to learn how the women of “Superman” prepared for the film, from specific exercises to nutrition.
Experts Featured in This Article:
Paolo Mascitti is a personal trainer with over 20 years of experience. Previous celebrity clients include Nicole Scherzinger, Tom Ellis, and Alex Russell.
The Workout
First things first: the women of “Superman” all trained a little differently. Some, like María Gabriela de Faría, had more intense training plans. Ultimately, it came down to their specific characters. “[Faría] played the main villain of the movie and she’s a superhero. She needed to be ripped,” Mascitti tells Popsugar. “She would go to bed at 5:00 p.m. the previous day and wake up at 1 a.m. to go to the gym before she would get on set.” With this in mind, Mascitti trained Faría alongside fellow DC star Jennifer Holland, while Sara Sampaio would train with Rachel Brosnahan, since those pairings had similar fitness goals.
That said, the basic exercises were the same across the board. “The so-called bread and butter were the big movements like squats, leg presses — all what we call compound movements,” Mascitti says. (Compound exercises that work multiple large muscle groups at once.) “But then they were in combination with a lot of plyo moves, which were jumps and fun stuff.” (Plyometric exercises are more about improving muscle power and increasing your heart rate.) Using these different types of movements makes for an intense but effective workout plan with a long list of overall benefits.
The Nutrition
When it comes to building superheroes, exercise is only half the battle. Mascitti also worked with the actors on a solid nutrition plan, emphasizing the importance of macronutrients over any kind of extreme calorie deficit. “The drill was about 0.75 grams of protein per pound to one gram of protein per pound. We spread the protein amount evenly throughout the day. We kept the carbs not too high,” he says. “I went to a slight caloric deficit, but a very slight caloric deficit — like a minimum.”
Again, everyone’s bodies and nutritional needs are different, but it’s nice to hear that building strength is more about fueling your body well, rather than restricting calories.
The Bottom Line
There’s a lot of work that goes into superhero prep, and while we tend to focus on the men, it’s no different for women. “Physical work is such a big part of it,” Mascitti says. “[It] also helps with the acting. That’s how we create a character.”
At the same time, these actors have seasoned professionals supporting their fitness journeys, from tailored exercise regimens to carefully curated nutrition plans. While we can beg them to share their workout routines on social media, at the end of the day, it takes time, commitment, and oftentimes a dedicated team to achieve the physiques we see in the theater.
Thankfully, the women of “Superman” knew how to keep it fun, too. “There was a lot of excitement too,” Mascitti says. “Everybody was very excited about the movie, and so they were happy to do the hard work.” Safe to say, the tough training paid off.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.
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