Sacha Baron Cohen has revealed the secret behind his jaw-dropping body transformation for his upcoming role as Marvel villain Mephisto in Ironheart — and yes, Ozempic was part of the plan.
The 53-year-old actor recently showed off his new shredded physique on Instagram, writing, “Some celebs use Ozempic, some use private chefs, some use personal trainers. I did all three. This is not AI. I really am egotistical enough to do this. Debuting my new character: middle-aged man who replaced beer with protein shakes.”
Preparing for his Marvel debut, Sacha didn’t waste time. He reached out to Matthew McConaughey for guidance, who then linked him up with celebrity trainer Alfonso Moretti. Joking about the call, Sacha told Men’s Fitness UK, “I called Matthew and asked for help. After asking who I was and how I’d gotten his number, he finally gave me Alfonso’s contact.”
Initially, Marvel considered giving Cohen prosthetic muscles. But thanks to intense workouts and a strict plan, he didn’t need them. Moretti said, “He wasn’t out of shape, but he didn’t have that ‘in-shape’ look. He looked more like a ruler – straight up and down. But he had a great foundation and strong muscle structure. It was like discovering an athlete in hiding.”
With a tight deadline, the duo managed to sculpt Sacha into superhero shape. And the effort changed the way Cohen views fitness entirely. “I’ve always found core workouts challenging — I have the core strength of an arthritic jellyfish — so being able to do X-ups now is a reminder of how far I’ve come,” he said.
He also offered a bit of signature humor while encouraging consistency: “I now believe that just 20 to 30 minutes of movement a day can make a real difference – and it’s something anyone can fit into their routine, especially celebrities with personal assistants to do all the boring stuff like shopping and attending friends’ funerals. So, no excuses!”
Sacha Baron Cohen is set to appear as Mephisto when Ironheart hits screens later this year.
