Penn Badgley went full-on superhero mode, but not for a Marvel flick; he was sculpting himself for comedy. Preparing for his role as Dr. Nicholas Rose in You Deserve Each Other, Badgley dove into intense workouts, aiming for a physique straight out of a comic book. The transformation was fueled by his character’s obsessive, perfectionist streak.
Penn Badgley on weight transformation for new role
The Gossip Girl alum revealed on his Podcrushed podcast that he signed on just before shooting, leaving little time for preparation. “I was mostly consumed with losing enough weight, so it just made sense for how maniacal this guy was supposed to be about his body,” Badgley told costar Meghann Fahy. His goal was to achieve a “Marvel body” that reflected the character’s obsessive perfectionism, not just a healthy shape, but a shredded, jaw-dropping physique.
He admitted the experience was ironic, considering the role was a comedy. “I never had to lose weight and get kind of ripped for a role, so I was just like, ‘Of all things [it is for] a f—ing comedy, of course,’” he joked. Beyond the physical transformation, Badgley focused on understanding the twisted dynamic between Nicholas and his bride-to-be, Naomi Westfield. The couple’s escalating sabotage fueled the entire storyline, and he wanted the opening moments to feel emotionally authentic.
Penn Badgley said that the first 15 pages were crucial as they had to set things up so the rest of the story would flow smoothly. He focused on why the two characters come together, why they’re so fiercely “competitive,” and why they won’t let go of this intense game, which drives both the comedy and the entire story.
The cast of You Deserve Each Other is stacked, featuring Fahy, Natalie Morales, Justin Long, Kyle MacLachlan, Ana Gasteyer, Hope Davis, Delaney Rowe, and Lisa Gilroy. Timothy Busfield was originally part of the lineup, but Amazon MGM later announced they’d digitally remove his character due to legal issues. Filming wrapped last year, though we’re still waiting on a release date.
