Kit Harington beefed up for 'Pompeii'

Actor Kit Harington had to lose a lot of weight and build up some muscles for his role in the 3D action-adventure-romantic drama "Pompeii".

The 27-year-old, who essays gladiator Milo in "Pompeii", had to look stronger and more chiselled in the film.

"I put on a bit of weight leading up to the film because I wanted to be really, really bulky and big. And I think they saw my face and I'd got a bit chubby and they were like, 'Okay, actually, no...We don't want you big, we want you very lean and muscley.' So I then dropped loads, I'm on this special diet, and yeah, I've been pumping up right before scenes and stuff," Harington said in a statement.

"You feel like a bit of a douche, because they've got like 100 extras, and I'm there going (mimes bicep curl)...But you know, it's an action film, where I've got my arms out the whole time, so I have to try and look tough. And I'm next to all these stunt boys who are huge, so I need to kind of compete with them, so it doesn't look ridiculous that I'm beating them up," he added.

"Pompeii" is set for an international release Feb 21 and it will hit the Indian screens on the same day.