Wellness

Brie Larson Really Did Push A Jeep Uphill To Train For 'Captain Marvel' & There's Video Proof

by Julia Guerra
Christopher Polk/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

In case you didn’t know, Brie Larson is a beast, and the proof is on Instagram. Prior to snagging the role of Captain Marvel, Larson’s social media pages reflected that of a typical Hollywood star, clad with screenshots of magazine covers, red carpet moments, and the occasional food pic. But ever since the 29-year-old actor started training for the superhero role, she's been documenting all of her hard work, some of which includes lifting heavy, squatting low, and, oh yeah, Brie Larson also posted a video of herself pushing a Jeep uphill — yes, a frickin’ Jeep — so if that doesn’t secure her a spot in the #fitfam, then I don’t know what will. Someone get this girl a donut (or a dozen), because she’s clearly making gains and taking names.

Per E! News, during a press conference back in December of 2018, Larson spoke candidly about Captain Marvel, and how preparing for the role led her to fall in love with strength training. “I was truly an introvert with asthma before this film, so I had a lot of work to do,” Larson said, adding that, on top of the fact that exercise had never really been something she was particularly interested in, she also actively wanted to keep her body out of the conversation. She continued,

To me, it felt like objectification; I just wanted to be a brain, so I've only cared about reading books and understanding words, and anything that involved my body made me itchy. But this was an opportunity for me to...make my body mine.

Fast-forward several months and countless training sessions later, and Larson is clearly able to slay both at the gym, and evidently, on the road, too. And listen, being able to deadlift over 200 pounds, hip-thrust over 400 pounds, and perform a flawless push-up with chains around your torso is impressive enough as it is, but when the Academy Award-winning actor uploaded a video of herself singlehandedly pushing a 5,000-pound Jeep, clad with a full tank of gas and a passenger behind the wheel for safety, my jaw literally dropped.

In the caption of her Instagram post, Larson described the moment as a “training highlight,” which, IMO, is an understatement at best. “Pushing @risemovement almost 5000lbs Jeep(with a full tank of gas and Alyssa behind the wheel for safety!)for 60 seconds,” she wrote, adding in a shameless plug for the custom Captain Marvel Nike Metcon sneakers she's sporting in the clip: “It’s a strong vibe but I like it," Larson wrote, casual as ever.

Clearly Larson’s just being modest; she knows damn well that she worked hard to develop her incredible strength. Per InStyle, the new Ms. Marvel is proud of the work she's put in to not only become a physically stronger version of herself, but to also challenge the stereotypical image of female strength. She told the glossy,

I want to hold on to the cockiness and the sense of ownership. Because I do believe in my abilities, and I do value myself, and I do know that I’m strong, and I do know that I can do a lot of things that people don’t think I can do.

If you ask me, Larson’s newfound strength seems to extend well beyond her physical capabilities. In a recent interview with journalist and disability activist, Keah Brown, for Marie Claire UK, Larson said she's making it her mission to ensure that her upcoming press tour for Captain Marvel will be more inclusive and less “overwhelmingly” white and male. “After speaking with [Brown], the film critic Valerie Complex and a few other women of colour, it sounded like across the board they weren’t getting the same [press] opportunities as others,” Larson explained. “When I talked to the facilities that weren’t providing it, they all had different excuses.”

Realizing that the film industry needs to move in a more inclusive direction (not just in terms of press coverage, but in casting, producing/directing opportunities, etc.), and the influence she now has as a successful actor, Larson told Brown that she fully intends to “use the power that I’ve been given now as Captain Marvel” to make a positive change across her industry:

I have so much that I want to do. Most of my goals are trying to bring in people, who are not traditionally associated with the movie industry, to tell their stories and help facilitate that. 
I also want to help with a non-profit school to teach young people, folks who have just gotten out of prison, or anyone who is diverse to learn skills in different departments, so that we can better diversify the industry that I work in.

Whether she's breaking down barriers in Hollywood or breaking a sweat outside while pushing a Jeep uphill, Brie Larson proves time and again that she is strong AF, and personally, I can't wait to see what she'll do next.