Hot doesn’t mean healthy. Channing Tatum is known for his drool-worthy body in the Magic Mike movies, but he revealed that it’s impossible to maintain those muscles regularly.
During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the 41-year-old hinted that he was concerned about getting back into stripper shape for the upcoming Magic Mike 3, announced late last year. “That might be the reason why I didn’t want to do a third one, because I have to look like that,” Tatum told host Kelly Clarkson.
The Step Up alum, who started playing exotic dancer Mike Lane in the 2012 movie partially based on his experiences as a stripper, explained that working out regularly and staying healthy doesn’t lead to the kind of a body seen onscreen. He was candid as he told the “Since You’ve Been Gone,” 39, singer about his diet.
“It’s hard to look like that. Even if you do workout, to be that kind of in shape — it’s not natural,” Tatum, who is dating The Batman star Zoë Kravitz, said.
The One and Only Sparkella author even corrected Clarkson when she asked about “eating well,” noting that his diet isn’t recommended. “That’s not even healthy. You have to starve yourself. I don’t think when you’re that lean, it’s actually healthy,” he claimed.
The actor, who shares daughter Everly, 8, with ex-wife Jenna Dewan, gave props to people who manage to stay in shape when they don’t have a Hollywood career. “I don’t know how people who work a 9 to 5 actually stay in shape because it’s my full-time job, and I can barely do it,” the 21 Jump Street star added. “If you work out twice a day, you have to eat completely right at a certain time. It’s a specific thing.”
He added that as he gets close to the day where he has “gotta be butt-naked on screen,” Tatum cuts out salt, making most food pretty bland.
The Alabama native noted that he tends to stay healthier when he isn’t taking his clothes off on camera. Tatum’s weight fluctuates about 15 pounds throughout the year now, which includes when he’s directing movies like Dog, which hit theaters Friday.
While he can’t stay in Magic Mike shape all the time, Tatum admitted that he can’t just put on weight and work if off the way he did as a twenty-something. The first-time director said it’s harder to lose weight as he gets older. Stars, they really are just like Us.