Sam Claflin Reveals Hollywood Shirtless Scenes Made His Body Dysmorphia Worse

Sam Claflin has opened up about how Hollywood made his body dysmorphia worse, especially because many of his early acting roles required him to appear shirtless. The Hunger Games star shared his experience on Fearne Cotton’s podcast Happy Place, as reported by The Independent.

Claflin, 34, is best known for playing Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and later films in the franchise. He made his movie debut in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and has also starred in Snow White and the Huntsman, Me Before You, and indie films such as Their Finest and Adrift. Most recently, he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Billy Dunne in Hulu’s 2023 series Daisy Jones & the Six.

Speaking with Cotton, Claflin said one of his first experiences with on-screen nudity was shocking and stressful. “A lot of the roles I played earlier on in my career… I had a topless scene in one of my first movies, but it wasn’t in the script and I got told a week before they were going to [take] my top off,” he said. “I was like, ‘S**t, I haven’t been working out, what am I going to do?’ This is my first introduction to the world.”

He explained that his insecurities grew as he navigated Hollywood. “I’m incredibly insecure. I just went to a screening of a film I was in and everyone immediately afterwards [asked], ‘How was it?’ And [I was like,] ‘I hated it.’ It’s my face I don’t like [it]. When I was cast in ‘Pirates,’ I thought: ‘What on earth am I doing here?’”

Claflin previously told The Telegraph in 2025 that the pressure to look perfect in front of the camera contributed to his body struggles. “There’s this Hollywood assumption that it’s the men with the six packs who sell the movie. So there was a pressure that was what I needed to look like. As a result, I developed a form of body dysmorphia. It wasn’t quite an eating disorder, and I’m not blaming anyone but myself, but it was definitely because of the industry I’m in,” he explained.

On the podcast, he described how the condition affects him daily. “I’ve been massively affected [by body dysmorphia]. I’d say most guys are, but I would say mine got quite bad… It’s a real struggle. It’s like an everyday struggle. I am massively impacted by what other people think and if they think I look good or am a nice person.”

Claflin’s comments highlight the pressure actors face to maintain a certain appearance in Hollywood. For many men, these expectations can trigger or worsen body image issues, especially when shirtless scenes or physical standards are suddenly required.

It’s important that actors like Sam Claflin speak openly about their struggles. It shows that body image pressures affect men as much as women in the entertainment industry, and sharing these experiences can help others feel less alone. What do you think about the pressures actors face in Hollywood? Share your thoughts in the comments.