Antony Starr Refused a Corset for Homelander’s Suit and Did Something Far More Impressive Instead

Few television costumes carry as much visual weight as the blue and gold supersuit worn by Homelander in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’. The instantly recognizable outfit, with its tight cut and bold color scheme, has become one of the most iconic looks on television. Filling it out convincingly, however, turned out to be more complicated than fans might have imagined, and the story behind how Antony Starr actually got into that suit is as telling as anything his character has done on screen.

The supersuit itself is expertly crafted by veteran costume designer Laura Jean Shannon, and while it features muscle padding that does some of the heavy lifting, Starr still has to watch his diet and body closely to maintain his shape during the seven or eight months he spends each year filming the series. Because the costume is heavily padded and form-fitting, even small changes in body shape can affect how it looks on screen. That kind of scrutiny demands a level of physical consistency most actors rarely face.

What makes Starr’s commitment to that consistency so remarkable is what originally motivated it. In an appearance on Men’s Health’s “Eat Like” series, Starr revealed that the production actually tried to put him in a corset during the first season of ‘The Boys’, something he described as “not pleasant and kind of embarrassing.” Rather than accept that solution, the New Zealand actor chose a far more demanding path.

Starr told Men’s Health he trained intensely for two weeks to slim down enough to fit the suit naturally, and was relieved to never have worn the corset on screen. That early moment of motivation appears to have shaped an ongoing commitment to staying in shape for the role that has continued well beyond season one.

As the years on the show have accumulated, Starr has noted that maintaining that physique has become increasingly demanding with age, saying it is harder to stay in shape past forty, requiring much more attention to nutrition, more stretching, and a growing reliance on yoga. His diet leans heavily on proteins, fats, and vegetables during filming, though he admits to indulging in favorites like pasta, burgers, and New Zealand steak during the off-season.

The revelation adds another layer to an already compelling performance. While Homelander projects an image of effortless physical superiority as the all-powerful leader of The Seven, the reality behind that image involved a moment of genuine embarrassment and a two-week fitness sprint just to make the suit work. There is something fittingly ironic about the most powerful being on television nearly being undone by a piece of Victorian undergarment.

With ‘The Boys’ concluding final season, Starr’s years of discipline behind the character are now closed, making behind-the-scenes moments like this one feel especially worth savoring. Whether you’ve followed the show from the beginning or are catching up now, it’s worth sharing in the comments whether the corset story changes how you see Starr’s dedication to bringing Homelander to life.