How Pedro Pascal got in Mister Fantastic shape for Marvel debut

Pedro Pascal swears he would not be walking, much less prepping to play a superhero, if it weren’t for this guy. 

The four-time Emmy nominee is just one of many A-list clients who have achieved action star physiques through physical trainer Jason Walsh’s holistic approach to health and fitness.

In the case of Pascal, however, the mutual admiration between trainer and client extends far beyond the four walls of Walsh's West Hollywood gym.

The two first crossed paths back in 2014 in Qingdao, China, on the set of the action blockbuster "The Great Wall." At the time, Walsh was training the film’s star Matt Damon, who played a mercenary warrior alongside Pascal. 

"We instantly had a good chemistry," Walsh told Paste BN. "You're going to all these really cool places, the Great Wall, experiencing all this stuff and you got somebody that's a good friend. And I started training him then."

A decade after they first met in China, Walsh would help Pascal transform his body to play the brilliant and elastic Mister Fantastic in the upcoming "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," out in theaters nationwide Friday, July 25.

The superhero genre is familiar territory for Walsh, who previously trained Anne Hathaway to play Catwoman in 2012’s "The Dark Knight Rises" and Brie Larson to take on the role of the titular intergalactic heroine in 2019’s "Captain Marvel."

A stunt injury, however, would make Pascal's latest fitness journey the actor's most daunting yet.

'Gladiator II' stunt left Pascal with long-lasting back pain

Fans of Pascal may remember the moment photos from Vanity Fair's cover shoot dropped on June 24, showing his physique in its full glory. Unbeknownst to drooling fans at the time, Pascal endured months of turmoil and uncertainty to achieve the muscled-up look.

During a stunt for last year's "Gladiator II," he dislocated his shoulder, tore his psoas (lower back) muscle and weakened his hip flexor after tackling co-star Paul Mescal on set.

Walsh said Pascal experienced long-lasting back pain that took a psychological toll as a result. Pain and injury can feel extra defeating when someone enters their late 40s or early 50s, Walsh said, adding that "you start to program your mind and start believing that this is the new you. This is the way it's going to be."

"He came to me and just said, 'I’m a wreck,'" Walsh recalled. "'I can't step up, I can't lunge, I can't squat, I can't do these things because my back hurts.'"

With a looming deadline and hectic schedule ahead of filming for "Fantastic Four" in England, "The Materialists" in New York and Season 2 of "The Last of Us" in Canada, Pascal asked the trainer one question.

"'Can it be done?' And I was like, 'absolutely,'" Walsh said. 

The mission was less about achieving a shredded superhero figure for Pascal and more about reclaiming functionality over his body and conquering his pain, Walsh said.

Pascal placed his full faith in the Hollywood strength guru, who had experience with post-injury training. He previously prepared Matt Damon for 2016’s "Jason Bourne" after a bike accident broke his collarbone. Walsh explained to Pascal that the process would be slow and tedious, but that the two would eventually change his body. 

"I just took it on as a project, and I took it seriously because I saw my friend who was in pain and psychologically down," he said.

Now, the 50-year-old heartthrob not only looks chiseled but feels well enough to become the next Reed Richards in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Walsh says his secret isn't a 'magic formula'

While Walsh had no desire to be a personal trainer growing up — even to clientele like Jake Gyllenhaal, John Krasinski and Bradley Cooper — he saw a void he could fill in the fitness space.

He takes a multifaceted approach to training that involves adding calculated amounts of stress to the right parts of the body. With Pascal, Walsh curated a routine that would allow his body to hold onto muscle at his age. The workouts prioritized isometric exercises that built a connection between mind and body while also advancing his tendon strength.

"Mostly it’s a progressive model. So it's pretty simple. It's just very basic. It's not a magic formula. I don't need to tell you that there's cool exercises that we do that nobody else does. I don't do that [expletive]," Walsh said. 

Instead, he reinforces solid patterns and proper recovery time, complemented by plenty of sacrifice. He also worked with a chef who prepared a diet focused around caloric intake and macronutrients that would become habitual for Pascal. 

This nutrition philosophy later prompted Walsh to launch his own protein powder, a plant-based supplement called Rise311, geared toward those who have trouble digesting whey. Walsh posted an Instagram reel in June 2024 of Pascal trying a Rise311 shake for the first time, which the Chilean-born actor called "delicious."

Pascal lost 25 pounds ahead of Marvel shoot

Walsh said his first big win with Pascal was when the actor noticed a gap between his belly and a pair of pants on the set of "The Last of Us."

"We took 25 pounds off of him by changing up his diet," Walsh said.

Beyond the weight loss, Pascal told Walsh he felt his pain and limitations dissipate as his body grew stronger. Before they both knew it, Pascal was ready to put on his blue suit.

"You build this little bit of trust with people by fixing something and then reminding them that they couldn't do something [before]," Walsh added.

Ultimately, Walsh finds victories like Pascal the most rewarding.

"It was just a slow, tedious climb, but he was down for it and now he's asking me for workouts and things because he wants to keep going with it," Walsh said. "He understands the benefit of that kind of sacrifice and dedication and hard work. It pays off."