Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Henry Cavill

Cavill has coveted global attention for his roles on screen, but he originally hails from the small island of Jersey – which is about as far away from Hollywood as you could possibly hope to get. Within a super stone's throw of France, and the rest of Europe, Cavill grew up as one of five boys, which possibly makes his pursuit of a career in acting all the more understandable – he needed to stand out from his siblings in some way! After attending primary school in Jersey, though, Cavill ventured over to England to study at Stowe boarding school – which presumably had a more than decent drama department!

The 2009 film “Blood Creek” is one that may have passed you by, but it was a significant film for Cavill, as this production provided him with his first leading role. A horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, Henry stars alongside Michael Fassbender – who was still at a reasonably early stage in his career, himself. In the movie, Cavill plays Evan, who gets wrapped up in an occult experiment with roots in the Third Reich. It got mixed reviews from the critics, but remains a must see for Cavill fans.

When Henry Cavill met Russell Crowe while the esteemed actor was filming “Proof of Life” at Cavill's boarding school, the future Superman reportedly marched straight up to Crowe and told him he wanted to be an actor. He was nothing if not confident. Of course, at this point in time (around the year 2000), Crowe could have no idea who the super-keen student was… And he certainly would never have predicted that they’d later work together, playing father and son in “Man of Steel”. The world works in mysterious ways.

Who knew that facial hair could cause such drama? It all started with “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”, for which Cavill was required to grow and sport a moustache. But, this distinctive move soon created some animosity within the “Justice League” production team, since they needed Cavill clean shaven for his Superman reshoots. The solution? CGI. Super shoddy CGI. The folks over at DC reportedly put in weeks of painstaking hard work to erase their main man’s 'tache, but fans of – or least viewers of – “Justice League” weren't too convinced about the on-screen results.

Although we can't really imagine the actor having the time to spend hours upon hours in front of a computer screen, Cavill has admitted in the past that he is a huge fan of this online game. In an interview, Cavill even stated that he had accidentally missed an early casting call from Zack Snyder, the director of “Man of Steel”, because he was too preoccupied with defeating his online opponents. Thankfully, Henry managed to tear himself away, eventually. And swiftly got back in touch with Snyder, to speak with him about the part. The rest is DC history.

Superman may be well practiced in saving lives and planets, but in real life the actor is just as heroic – because he’s an ambassador and fundraiser for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, based in Jersey. Cavill also owns a dog called Kal, a black and white American Akita whose name fans will instantly recognise as a nod to Superman's Krptonian origins. Kal is possibly a contender for the world's cutest celebrity dog, but it’s his companionship with Cavill that fans really love. The guy can do it all; Saving the city one day, mid-morning walkies the next.

As if Cavill’s acting abilities weren't impressive enough, it's said that he’s also fluent in several languages. Perhaps owing to his growing up so near to Northern France, the performer is a confident French speaker, but also knows enough Italian and German to carry a conversation. And he reportedly speaks just enough Czech to acquire a pint from the barman at any Czech-speaking pub – it’s a specific skill, but a valuable one nonetheless. Given his linguistic talents, it’s surely only a matter of time before they’re showcased for a role on the big screen.

The name’s Cavill. Henry Cavill. The 007 franchise might’ve gone in a very different direction had Henry landed the role back in the mid-2000s, when he was reportedly one of the actors who lost out to eventual Bond, Daniel Craig. Cavill hasn't been shy in the past about admitting how much he’d love to play the famous spy, and he does seem a pretty decent fit. Suave. Sophisticated. Can handle himself in a fight. Of course, the rumours linking Cavill to the coveted spy series have continued, and he’s forever listed as a frontrunner if/when Craig steps down. Watch this space.

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Robert Pattinson playing the role of Edward in the “Twilight” series, but Stephanie Meyer, the writer of the vampire novels on which the franchise is based, originally wanted Cavill. For Meyer, she believed Henry would fit the part perfectly, after noticing the actor in the 2002 film “The Count of Monte Cristo”. At the time, Cavill was young and not especially well-known, so it would’ve proven a massive breakthrough role for him. But, would his career have panned out the same? Switching from teen lit vampires to a face-off with Batman seems quite unlikely.

Clearly, Cavill wasn’t worried about auditioning for iconic parts during his early days as an actor. And, of course, “Superman” is now his most famous role. But, he almost donned the cape almost a decade earlier than for his 2013 debut, in “Man of Steel”. Because, back in 2004, Cavill screen-tested as the classic comic book character for the production “Superman: Flyby”, which was written by one J.J. Abrams, and was set to be directed by McG. Unfortunately, “Flyby” never came to be. But Henry’s hopes for superhero stardom were by no means over.