Brandon Sklenar on ‘Iron Jane,’ Body Dysmorphia and His Rapid Hollywood Rise

Actor Brandon Sklenar has opened up about his long-standing struggles with body image and how these insecurities affected his experience while filming his latest movie, according to Yahoo. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor discussed his experience with body dysmorphia and recalled being a short, chubby child who was teased about his appearance. Those experiences led him to swim wearing a T-shirt, and after a later growth spurt when he became lanky, he faced further criticism. The actor eventually began working out obsessively to prove himself, which developed into an unhealthy relationship with his appearance.

Yahoo reported that Sklenar explained how people with body dysmorphia can perceive their bodies differently from how others see them. Sklenar admitted, "It's something I've had since I was a kid," and discussed how therapy helped him manage those feelings, although he acknowledged the struggle remained ongoing. He further explained, "If you look at me now as a 36-year-old man, you'd never guess it. But I still very much feel like that 12-year-old chunky kid," adding that the feeling often involved believing nothing was ever good enough.

Sklenar also described filming a particularly challenging scene for Iron Jane, where his character Josh is a former bodybuilding champion who trains Eiza González's character. During one sequence, Sklenar had to pose while the camera focused on his physique. He revealed, "When I was shooting that scene, I was so uncomfortable. Dealing with my issues, it was very challenging to work through that," and admitted that having the camera examine his physique made him nervous.

The actor considered how demanding the experience must have been for González, whose character's bodybuilding journey required extensive physical preparation throughout the film. Yahoo noted that he praised her dedication and the work she put into training. Sklenar hopes Iron Jane encourages more conversations about body image and dysmorphia, believing these subjects deserve attention, particularly amid social media's focus on fitness and physical appearance.