Ralph Fiennes opened up about his intense fitness journey that’s left him looking ripped at the age of 62.
Over the last few days, photographs of the actor showing off his muscular body has been going viral and leaving fans in awe.
The veteran actor revealed that his body transformation was the result of his intense workout regimen and preparation for his role of Odysseus—the Greek king of Ithaca—in the movie, The Return.
Ralph Fiennes stunned fans with his physical transformation for the movie, The Return
In a recent interview, the Oscar-nominated actor spoke about losing all the fat in his body and getting into shape for his role of Odysseus in The Return, which was released a few months back.
The movie is director Uberto Pasolini’s retelling of the final chapters of Homer’s Odyssey, focusing on Odysseus’s return to Ithaca after 20 years of war and wandering.
Ralph, best known for his role of Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter, starred in the movie alongside actress Juliette Binoche, who plays his wife Penelope.
The Harry Potter star played the role of Odysseus in the Uberto Pasolini-directed movie
Fans were impressed to see him in shape at the age of 62.
“Very impressive,” one commenter said, while another wrote, “Harry don’t beat that Voldemort.”
One said, “Voldermort be jacked.”
“The boy who lift,” another said, making yet another Harry Potter reference.
“This is wild at 62 would be really cool if you let us know the full regimen. Supplements, routine, etc,” one fan said.
Fans called him “Swoledemort,” calling his muscular physique “impressive”
In an interview with The Guardian last month, Ralph spoke about how the film’s director had a specific image in mind when it came to the character’s physique.
“Uberto was very clear. He didn’t want me to have a sort of bulked-up gym body,” Ralph told the outlet.
The director had given the actor’s longtime trainer, Dan Avasilcai, the specific instruction of making him “look like a bit of old rope.”
Ralph underwent the rigorous process of burning all the fat in his body, using a specific diet and a strict weight-training regimen.
The English Patient actor admitted he was initially skeptical about the exercise and the diet, which was rich in proteins, complex carbohydrates and vegetables.
He said in one interview clip that his trainer Dan’s “tough diet” included “no alcohol, no desserts, no sweets, no bread” for two and a half months.
Ralph revealed he was on a “tough” diet and had a strict exercise regimen for months
📸 Dan_Avasilcai (Ralph Fiennes’ personal trainer)
.#RalphFiennes #TheReturn pic.twitter.com/ADmbHiIY6A— Ralph Fiennes (@mrralphfiennes) April 13, 2025
Since “there is no gym in ancient Greece,” the actor said he was initially skeptical about whether all the protein and the exercises would help get the right physique to make the character believable.
“At the beginning, I have to confess, I was slightly suspicious that there was so much protein going in and so much exercise that we would have a body that looked exercised instead of a body that was consumed, a lived body,” he told The Guardian.
The actor followed a strict diet of “no alcohol, no desserts, no sweets, no bread” for two and a half months
Once they saw the final result, the team agreed that Ralph brought the intended look of someone who had been through great turmoil and suffering.
During the interview with The Guardian, Director Uberto said it took about 30 years to finally bring his idea for an Odyssey-adaptation to life.
He admitted he had been thinking about the movie for years, but only approached Ralph to play the role of Odysseus in 2011.
At the time, he believed Ralph should not only star in the movie but also direct it.
“I can’t do both. I’d love to play Odysseus, but I can’t also direct,” Ralph once told him.
Director Uberto spent years trying to convince Ralph to both direct and star in the film
Uberto said he kept “benignly nagging” the Schindler’s List actor over the years until one dinner together in 2022, during which the roles had reversed, and Ralph was the one convincing Uberto to direct the movie.
The director’s chair for The Return was finally occupied by Uberto, and Ralph played the character of the wandering warrior in the Greek epic.
Ralph, whose mother used to read the adventures of Odysseus to him during his childhood, explained why he was drawn to the role.
“I am probably drawn to roles where [there is a] sort of undecided space in someone, where there’s a question mark about who they are and what they’re doing,” he told the outlet.
“Is Odysseus good? Essentially, he’s gone to war and done terrible things to people, and what I got from this script is he carries that on his shoulders,” he continued. “So, he’s not overtly a Greek hero, but he’s trying to claim something.”
“He’s gonna get that Oscar one way or another,” a social media user said
