MERLIN MANIA ARCHIVE: CAST Tom Hopper Photos

Friday, June 5, 2015

May 20, 2015 - Tom Hopper Interview for Muscle and Fit

How the British-born star of the Starz pirate adventure series Black Sails conquers both land and sea

May 20, 2015

Kristin Mahoney

Photography by: Garreth Barclay

All-Star Athlete
I grew up playing a lot of sports—rugby, soccer, roller hockey, and swimming. But rugby was, and still is, my favorite. Recently, I’ve taken up golf because I can spend more time with friends.
Star Player
At age 17 I realized I wasn’t going to become a pro athlete, but then discovered I felt the same excitement about performing as I did about playing sports. I went to drama school, and from there I got into acting.
The Hero Inside
I love that certain superhero movies explore the character within. I’d love to get in the head of a hero who has been known to be a bit weak in the past. Being 6’5" and being able to use my stature plus my skill to make it something deeper is quite a big pull.
Perfect Pairing
My favorite aspect of marriage is teamwork. Laura and I are expecting our first baby in June, and I think having a child is the biggest thing you can do as a team.
Bird Man
To stay lean, I eat a lot of ostrich meat: It tastes great and is high in protein and low in fat. But I also enjoy fish and chips, being from the U.K., and love sweet potato fries"I could eat them all day long if no one stopped me.
Staying in Shape
The intensity of my workouts for Black Sails goes up about tenfold compared with the off-season. But I try to keep my physique in check at all times so I don’t slip out of shape between seasons or jobs. I really enjoy the 15- to 20-minute workouts to work my entire body at a high intensity and get a huge metabolic boost. In one routine, I hold a barbell the whole time and do 10 reps each of a deadlift, bentover row, front squat, push press, and back squat while rowing or sprinting between each set.