At 59, Vincent Cassel is still a heartthrob in French cinema, thanks to his lean, athletic build. The years don't steal his charm; they add to it.

In fact, flaunting his impressive chiseled physique, Cassel recently posted a picture of himself at a beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with his young son on Instagram. The Portuguese caption read, "Papa de Caetano," stirring up his fanbase.

The French actor, who is naturally lean, has maintained such an enviable physique through his lifelong commitment to fitness and an active lifestyle. However, unlike others in the entertainment industry, Cassel doesn't follow any rigorous workout regimen.

Instead, the 59-year-old prioritizes a dynamic blend of activities that sharpen mobility, agility, and functionality, including capoeira and boxing.

Moreover, when he was younger, he also took ballet and circus classes, highlighting his love for movement.

Surfing also helps him maintain both his physical and mental well-being.

"Foil surfing is a huge passion of mine. I’ve always exercised and always believed I needed to maintain a certain level of physical health – and therefore mental health too. I need to feel good," he told Vanity Fair.

Along with surfing, Cassel also practices training and careful nutrition. But it's not always about training the body.

"I try to identify negative thoughts – the things that make me feel nervous or unhappy – and put them into perspective," he said about practicing mindfulness.

However, his fitness journey was not always smooth.

Vincent Cassel opens up about struggles with bulking

The usually lean Vincent Cassel once had to gain over 45 pounds for his role as the French gangster Jacques Mesrine in 2008’s Mesrine: Killer Instinct. It's safe to say it wasn't the best shooting experience he has had.

The actor revealed that he had to force-feed himself to gain weight, which greatly impacted his relationship with food for months. Cassel stopped at nothing to lose weight after the shoot wrapped up, including entirely skipping meals.

In an interview with Women's Wear Daily, Cassel shared, “[It was] lots of pasta, potatoes, ice cream sundaes, 3,000-calorie milk shakes."

"It was fun for the first 10 days…I will never do it again. After 40, it’s not good to mess with the body like that," he added.

While Cassel acknowledged the artistic perspective behind the decision, the experience begs for no second time. And, perhaps, it's this awareness that has helped Cassel listen to his body and maintain the sleek build to this day.

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason