Date: 7th January 2014

Lutz: Hercules is original hero.


Kellan Lutz has revealed he lost out on the chance to play other big screen heroes before he was cast as Hercules.

The Twilight actor is playing the Greek hero in Hercules: The Legend Begins, but before he bagged the showy part he was passed over for Thor and Captain America.

He told Collider: " In our industry, you're told no a million times before that yes, and I've been positioning myself."

"As a young boy, I always had the dream of being Hercules. He's the epic hero. He's the original hero. For me, as I became an actor, that childhood dream could come to life. I went out for Thor, and Chris Hemsworth got it, but he is Thor. I got pretty close for Captain America, but Chris Evans got it, and he deserves it. He is Captain America."

"I'm happy for them. I don't get competitive. I do my best. If I get something, then it was meant to be. If I don't, then it wasn't."

Kellan, 28, went on: "With Hercules, I just knew it. I didn't grow up loving Thor, or really knowing much about Thor or Captain America, but with Hercules, I did. I think (director) Renny Harlin saw my passion for it, and quite easily."

The actor admitted the shoot was challenging.

"I pushed myself on this," he said. "Riding the horse was tough. As I'd work out, I'd be really stiff. But, I got along with my horses because I really took the time out. They're spirits, so you really want to talk to them and spend time with them, and not just hop on. You want to warm the car up a little bit, and not just race it. I got kicked off, quite a bit, but you just get back on."

Source: Press Release