Fame, at least the good kind, is a great sacrifice—one that demands hard work. Part of the hard work is making it all appear effortless: When we see celebrities, they're almost always immaculately groomed, with implied Adonis bodies lurking beneath expensive clothing someone else chose for them to wear. Celebrities embody that tired old mantra “Never let them see you sweat.” Indeed, you might say that celebrities, whose work takes place in closed studios, private gyms, and gated homes, live by those words. The less they look like they're exerting themselves, the more superhuman they appear, and the further we fall under the spell of their fame.
JFK JR.New York City, 1997John-John loved to throw the Fris in Central Park almost as much as he loved to be shirtless when the paps were around.
Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma via Getty ImagesThe magnificent exception to this rule is the occasional, glorious moment when a photographer catches a celebrity in-medias-workout. This is especially true in the vintage-celebrity sphere: When Madonna is caught running in a purple Asics tracksuit, she radiates star power. But it can also be seen today: Check out Jonah Hill with his fists plunged into two bulbous yellow boxing gloves—a man who burst out of his horny, pubescent cage and became a sinewy director with an admirable wardrobe. It isn't that they're putting in more effort than we are: Is Adam Sandler leaving it all on the court? Probably not. But his looks aren't merely about exertion—it's about style. Like Keanu lacing up his skates, his face a red-carpet-worthy expression of calm elegance. Their love of performance is tempered with a self-consciousness that only the truly famous possess, like a rare jewel or a member's card to the San Vicente Bungalows.
The internet has changed how we think a person should look while working out. Consider influencers who appear to be glowing during yoga the way celebrities glow on the red carpet. With a light sheen of sweat, they are sculpted, styled in all the right brands—aspirational but somehow impossible, just like the bod of our dreams. Celebrities don't have to try so hard—not even John F. Kennedy Jr., shirtless and chasing something (as he so often was) in Central Park. And that indelible X factor is what ultimately distinguishes the truly famous from the influencers. There's Sean Combs, crossing the finish line of the New York City Marathon, arms raised in victory. He's just like all the runners around him, with one key difference: He's Puff Daddy, baby.
DIDDYNew York City, 2003Apologies to the 34,000 other NYC Marathon runners, but who really wins when Puff Daddy is in the race?
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KEANU REEVESSimi Valley, CA, 1997Fun fact: Neo played goalie for his Canadian high school's hockey team.
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JONAH HILLNew York City, 2017Boxing is the workout du jour for aspiring fashion models and, apparently, stylish film directors.
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ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGERNew York City, 1978Don’t sleep on the combination of ’70s hair flow, retro tennis fit, and overdeveloped pecs.
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PRINCE HARRYNorfolk, U.K., 2015The Duke of Sussex’s kickabout kit is very cool, but the look on his face burns with the intensity of an athlete.
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MICK JAGGERNorth Brookfield, MA, 1981The Stones frontman looks as good rocking the stage today at 76 as he did on a country jog nearly 40 years ago.
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ADAM SANDLERLos Angeles, 2016He’s no Clark Kent, but his sweat-soaked Superman tee is a heroic pickup-game fit.
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MADONNANew York City, 1990Before Peloton and Goop, A-plus-list celebs got their wellness on in the streets.
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FLEALos Angeles, 1997Flea is a courtside fixture now, but the RHCP bassist was an MTV Rock n’ Jock MVP back in the day.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, IncA version of this story originally appeared in the February 2020 issue with the title "Ripped From the Tabloids."
