Natalie Portman said she bulked up for her role in 'Thor: Love and Thunder' with weight training and protein shakes

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Natalie Portman said she bulked up for her role in 'Thor: Love and Thunder' with weight training and protein shakes
Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor in the first teaser trailer for "Thor: Love and Thunder."Marvel Studios
  • Natalie Portman said she lifted weights and drank protein shakes for 'Thor: Love and Thunder.'
  • The actress told Vanity Fair the training was "really fun" although she hadn't tried bulking before.
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Natalie Portman showed off impressive muscles in the latest trailer for "Thor: Love and Thunder," and said weight lifting helped her prepare for the role of Jane Foster (and Mighty Thor).

The actress told Vanity Fair last August that her training for the film was "really fun" and included lifting heavy weights. Portman, who is vegan, also said she used fitness supplements to up her protein intake during training.

"We did a lot of weight training and a lot of protein shakes — heavyweight training that I haven't ever done before. Of course, I've never really aimed to get bulky. It was very physical, so it was a lot of both agility work and also strength work," she said.

Portman said she worked with a trainer for four months prior to shooting as well as during filming. Since muscle takes time to build, it's a myth that weight lifting makes women bulky overnight. Women who are just beginning to strength train can expect to gain about a pound of muscle per month in the first year, experts previously told Insider.

Even if you're looking for a lean, "toned" look, lifting heavy helps build muscle to make that happen, according to Brooke Ence, an elite CrossFit athlete featured in the "Wonder Woman" movies.

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"If you want definition and tone, that's going to come from applying stress and hard work," Ence previously told Insider.

And bulking, or intentionally gaining weight to maximize muscle-building, can help create an athletic physique, too, experts say.

If you aspire to build Mjölnir-worthy muscles like Portman, it's important to eat enough, get plenty of protein, and strength train regularly (and start lifting weights if you don't already).

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