Nicholas Galitzine Goes Full He-Man for Men’s Health’s Summer Cover
Nicholas Galitzine takes the cover spotlight for Men’s Health’s June 2026 digital edition, arriving fresh off the most extreme physical transformation of his career as He-Man in Masters of the Universe.
But the feature is smarter than a simple “look at those muscles” victory lap. In conversation with Men’s Health culture editor Evan Romano, Galitzine talks about the work it took to build a superhero body, the uncomfortable side of suddenly seeing himself at a dramatically different size, and why the visual shorthand of masculinity only tells part of the story.
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Nicholas Galitzine: Cover Story Mode
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For the role, Galitzine told the magazine that he went from roughly 176 pounds to 231 pounds during the bulk before cutting back to around 200 pounds for filming. At the peak of the process, he was taking in as many as 5,000 calories a day while combining weight training with stunt preparation. The result may read larger-than-life on camera, but he is quick to push back on the idea that the body itself defines the man.
“The muscles don’t maketh the man, really.” That is the line that gets to the heart of the cover story. Galitzine describes He-Man’s real strength as his ability to connect, collaborate and lift up the people around him—a far more interesting read on the character than abs alone.
The transformation also came with a psychological adjustment. Galitzine recalled reaching a point during the bulk where his body no longer felt familiar and where being seen publicly at that size felt unsettling. Men’s Health uses that experience to widen the conversation into body image, looksmaxxing and the pressure placed on men to chase increasingly extreme physical ideals.
It makes the accompanying editorial hit differently. Yes, the photographs absolutely understand the assignment—and Sandro Baebler’s camera does not exactly ignore the He-Man proportions—but the story underneath them is about what happens after the transformation gets everyone looking.
See More From Nicholas Galitzine’s Men’s Health Cover Shoot
Baebler photographed Galitzine for the Men’s Health digital cover, with Peghah Maleknejad handling styling and Josh Knight on grooming. More from the editorial below.
Source: Men’s Health — “Nicholas Galitzine Has the Power,” by Evan Romano. Photography by Sandro Baebler; styling by Peghah Maleknejad; grooming by Josh Knight; visual direction by Sally Berman.
