In Hollywood, failure is often louder than success—and for Henry Cavill, the fear of being remembered as the man who “almost made it” haunted every step of his early career. Long before he became synonymous with Superman, Cavill carried a reputation that no actor wants: perpetual runner-up. When he finally donned the iconic cape in Man of Steel, he wasn’t celebrating triumph—he was bracing for disaster.
The “Unluckiest Man in Hollywood”
By the mid-2000s, Cavill’s near-misses had become industry legend. Empire famously dubbed him “the unluckiest man in Hollywood,” a label born from an extraordinary string of losses. He was a final contender for James Bond before losing Casino Royale to Daniel Craig. He tested for Batman only to watch Christian Bale claim the role under director Christopher Nolan.
Even roles he was meant for slipped away. Author Stephenie Meyer once called Cavill her ideal Edward Cullen, but Twilight went to Robert Pattinson when production was delayed. Most painfully, Cavill had already been cast as Superman in Superman: Flyby—only to lose the part when director Bryan Singer rebooted the project with a different vision.
The Curse of the Cape
So when director Zack Snyder finally offered Cavill the role of Clark Kent, the victory felt fragile. Cavill was acutely aware of the so-called “Superman Curse”—the idea that playing the Man of Steel either typecast actors or derailed their careers entirely. The shadows of George Reeves and Christopher Reeve loomed large.
“I feared the Man of Steel’s cape would finally bury my reputation,” Cavill later admitted. If the reboot failed, he worried he’d be permanently branded as the actor who couldn’t carry a franchise—ending his chances as a leading man before they truly began.
Turning Fear Into Force
Rather than retreat, Cavill attacked the role with relentless discipline. He underwent a punishing physical transformation, training obsessively and consuming up to 5,000 calories a day. More importantly, he chose to portray Superman not as a flawless god, but as a lonely outsider—an interpretation drawn from his own years of rejection.
The gamble paid off. Man of Steel earned over $668 million worldwide and redefined Superman for a modern audience. More critically, it shattered Cavill’s “unlucky” narrative, opening doors to roles like Napoleon Solo and Geralt of Rivia.
The cape nearly buried Henry Cavill—but instead, it resurrected him.