Tom Ellis is known for his devilishly muscular physique in 'Lucifer.' But a recent string of injuries forced the actor to completely rethink his approach to fitness. His new philosophy focuses less on the scale and more on long-term health.

To play the character of Lucifer Morningstar, Ellis built huge muscles, but due to his injuries last year, he shifted his focus toward a sustainable fitness philosophy.   

On April 1, 2026, the Welsh actor appeared on a podcast called “Strong Talk” by Men’s Health. He shared the screen with Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel and Dr. Pat Davidson, where Ellis shared his fitness transformation for Lucifer.

According to him, he pushed himself through intense workouts to achieve an aesthetic physique for the role. The actor shared his journey and said, "Lucifer was the first opportunity I’d had to… put on that 20 pounds that I’ve always wanted.” 

In addition, the winner of the National Film and Television Award 2018 revealed that he began his transformation at 198 pounds and reached 228 pounds, then said, “I took it down to 220 after we shredded it.”

However, this weight swing came with a cost; he shared that “When I went back to trying to play sport, I didn’t feel as athletic… I felt a little bit swelled.” But now, the Miranda actor’s fitness approach is more focused on sustainability and longevity. 

The actor further shared his fitness philosophy and said, “Fitness for me it wasn't about getting ripped up, and you know, looking a certain way. It was just about feeling good and feeling like moving well.”

Now, when he is playing CIA officer Colin Glass, his focus has shifted to building movement and endurance instead of muscle development.

The father of four suffered back and knee injuries last year, which ultimately prompted him to change his fitness routine. He now practices “push-ups and pull-ups.”

Besides basic push-ups and pull-ups, he made some other adjustments to pursue balance and longevity in his fitness routine.

Tom Ellis' Fitness-Specific Addition Beyond the Gym

Outside the gym, Tom Ellis depended heavily on daily activities, which included “20 to 25,000 steps a day.” 

Now, walking every day has become a key part of his routine. The actor noted, “For mental health, it’s the best thing you can do without a shadow of a doubt,” and it also helps him keep the weight off. 

Besides walking, he also incorporated “intermittent fasting” into his life, which helps him control and maintain a healthy weight. 

The Washington Black actor also believes that diet plays a crucial role in fitness and admitted that behind his fitness is almost “85%” weight, with the rest coming from physical work. After his injury, he added Pilates to his fitness routine to protect his back from any further injury.   

So, Ellis is no longer focused on the scale number but now emphasizes a more sustainable approach to fitness.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil