You remember the scene. The Kissing Booth, Noah Flynn (Jacob Elordi), in all his shirtless glory, flexing and giving us serious heartthrob vibes. It was practically a requirement—after all, the script did say “ripped bad boy,” right? But here’s the twist: Jacob Elordi wasn’t exactly living his best life in all those shirtless moments. In fact, he couldn’t stand it. In a Men’s Health interview, Elordi confessed that the constant focus on his physique “really f***ing bothered” him. “At the time, I was super young and got thrown into a world where everyone wanted to talk about my body… it really f***ing bothered me,” he said.

So, what’s the deal? Wasn’t he living the dream, being the swoon-worthy high school legend? Nope, not for Elordi. While fans were busy falling in love with his chiseled abs, he was more focused on proving he was a real actor, not just some sculpted guy on screen. “I don’t identify with that whatsoever,” he added. The pressure was real. The script called for Noah Flynn to be a dreamboat, so Elordi hit the gym hard. He had to workout seven days a week, twice a day. But even then, the actor was far from feeling proud of the body he was working so hard to build. “I hated every second of it,” he admitted.

Imagine being constantly scrutinized for your abs. Fun, right? Not really. The spotlight on his body overshadowed his acting ambitions. “I was trying to prove myself and be known as an actor,” Jacob Elordi said. Yet, all the world seemed to care about was his appearance without a shirt. It’s like everyone forgot there was a person underneath all that muscle. But the real kicker? Elordi wasn’t even comfortable with the look he was pushing for.

He was trying to fit the mold of the character Noah, but it was far from natural. The Kissing Booth turned into a relentless chase to sculpt the “perfect” figure. Flash forward to The Kissing Booth 2 and the shirtless scenes. It became much less of a priority. The focus quickly shifted to Taylor Zakhar Perez, aka Marco, who took on the “shirtless wonder” role while Elordi’s Noah had more important things to focus on—like his long-distance struggles with Elle (Joey King).

By the time The Kissing Booth 2 rolled around, Jacob Elordi wasn’t about to let his body be his identity. He didn’t even bother training for the sequel. Nope. Instead, his workouts became about something else: function over form. “I wanted to be a blank canvas and be more concerned with my health,” he explained. Gone were the days of sculpting for a role—now, it’s about being able to run and jump without worrying about which angle makes his abs pop. “I wanted to be able to walk and run with my grandkids when I’m eighty-something, you know? It’s more about being functional as opposed to actual aesthetics.”

This shift was more than just about fitness—it was a full-on mental transformation. Elordi went from flexing in the mirror to flexing his mind. He stepped away from the pressure to maintain a picture-perfect physique and focused on the bigger picture: long-term health and happiness. No more obsessing over sculpting the perfect abs for the cameras and just living a life that works for him. And honestly, if we’re being honest, that’s way cooler than a six-pack any day.

So, the next time you watch The Kissing Booth or Euphoria and spot Elordi sans shirt, just remember: it’s a reminder of how far he’s come—and how much better he’s feeling now that his fitness routine is more about wellness than appearance. And, hey, we don’t need to see abs to know he’s killing it!

For more such updates, check out Hollywood News.