When Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike hit theaters in 2012, most people showed up for Channing Tatum’s backflips or Matthew McConaughey’s, well, Matthew McConaughey-ness. But then there was Matt Bomer. Playing Ken—a character described as a "Zen-like" stripper with the face of a literal Greek god—Bomer managed to steal scenes without even having the most lines.
It’s easy to look at a guy like Bomer and think he just rolled out of bed, did a few pushups, and walked onto a movie set. Not quite.
The reality of the Matt Bomer Magic Mike experience was a lot grittier than the neon lights of the Xquisite Strip Club suggested. It involved a level of physical discipline that honestly sounds miserable, a "Ken doll" routine that was too weird for the final cut, and a spontaneous singing moment that changed his character’s entire trajectory in the sequel.
📖 Related: Why Disturbed Down With The Sickness Album Songs Still Hit Hard Two Decades Later
The "Ken" Doll Reality and That Deleted Scene
The name Ken wasn't just a random choice. He was designed to be the "perfect" looking one of the group. But Bomer didn't want him to be a cardboard cutout. He and the rest of the Kings of Tampa—Joe Manganiello, Adam Rodriguez, and Kevin Nash—approached their roles like they were performing Shakespeare.
Bomer famously said they treated the backstage scenes like they were playing Hamlet. They wanted to find the humanity in a group of guys who essentially make a living being objectified.
Interestingly, Bomer actually filmed a "Ken Doll" routine for the first film that never made it to the big screen. In this sequence, he was wheeled out in a giant toy box. He’d "come to life," popping out of the packaging to perform. It was apparently a bit too surreal for the grounded, slightly melancholy tone Soderbergh was going for in the original movie. It eventually surfaced as a DVD extra, which is basically where all the weird, experimental stripping goes to live.
Why Matt Bomer Magic Mike Moments Hit Different
Most fans agree that Magic Mike XXL is where Bomer really got to shine. In the first film, he was part of the ensemble, the handsome guy in the background. In the sequel, the "Kings of Tampa" hit the road, and we finally got to see what makes Ken tick.
💡 You might also like: Why Just a Kiss on the Lips in the Moonlight Lyrics Still Hit Different
Basically, he’s a hippie. He’s into Reiki, healing crystals, and "the vibes."
The Singing Pivot
The biggest surprise of the franchise wasn't a dance move. It was Bomer’s voice. During the filming of the first movie, the cast would often entertain the extras between takes to keep the energy up. Channing Tatum saw Bomer mess around with a microphone and realized the guy could actually sing.
Fast forward to XXL, and suddenly Ken isn't just a dancer; he’s a crooner.
His cover of Bryan Adams’ "Heaven" and D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" became instant highlights. There’s something specifically charming about a guy who looks like Matt Bomer singing a soul ballad to a room of women while slowly removing a vest. It added a layer of "sensitive artist" to the character that made him stand out from the more aggressive, "Big Dick Richie" energy of Joe Manganiello.
The Brutal Diet: 80% of the Battle
You don't get those abs by eating pizza. Bomer has been very vocal about the fact that maintaining the Matt Bomer Magic Mike physique was a full-time job. He’s mentioned in interviews with Men’s Fitness that diet is about 80% of the work.
To prep for the films, the cast followed a strict regimen:
- No Gluten or Dairy: A total ban on the good stuff.
- Protein-Heavy: Lots of chicken, fish (specifically sardines), and lean greens.
- Food Combining: Bomer follows a philosophy where he doesn't mix proteins and starches in the same meal to speed up digestion.
- The "Sugar-Free" Trick: To fight off the soul-crushing cravings for sweets, he reportedly used tea or sugar-free cough drops.
The hardest part? Bomer had just finished filming The Normal Heart, where he had to lose a massive amount of weight—about 35 pounds—to play a character dying of AIDS. He had to go from being dangerously thin to looking like a professional athlete in a very short window. He actually reached out to Matthew McConaughey for advice on how to handle that kind of extreme body transformation, since McConaughey had done the same for Dallas Buyers Club.
The Brotherhood of the G-String
There is a genuine camaraderie that comes from being half-naked in front of hundreds of people. Bomer and Joe Manganiello actually went to college together at Carnegie Mellon. They were classically trained actors who used to do Chekhov together.
Now, they were backstage at a strip club set, checking each other's "manscaping" and making sure nobody had a stray hair or a weird tan line.
Bomer has joked that once you’ve waxed your entire body and stood in a thong next to your best friend, there’s no room for ego left. That chemistry is why the movies worked. You can’t fake the kind of "we’re all in this together" energy that the Kings of Tampa had.
✨ Don't miss: Why Spinal Tap This One Goes To Eleven Is Still The Funniest Commentary On Rock History
Where Was Ken in "Last Dance"?
When the third movie, Magic Mike's Last Dance, was announced, fans were crushed to find out the original crew wouldn't be the focus.
Bomer, along with Manganiello and the others, only appears in a brief Zoom call. It was a logistical thing—the third movie was a different story set in London—but it felt like the end of an era. There was a rumor that they only had about 90 minutes to film that entire Zoom sequence with the old cast. It was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment that served as a bittersweet goodbye to Ken.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're looking to capture even a fraction of that Ken energy, here’s how to approach it without needing a professional choreographer:
- Prioritize "Time Under Tension": Bomer’s workout routine focused on slowing down the movements. Don't just bang out reps; control the weight on the way down to tear the muscle fibers more effectively.
- Audit Your "Food Combining": Try eating your fruits separately from your heavy meals. Bomer suggests waiting 30 minutes before or 90 minutes after a meal to avoid bloating.
- Find a "Stunt" Hobby: Bomer’s character was a singer. Finding a skill that contrasts with your physical appearance—whether it's painting, singing, or cooking—adds the "multi-dimensional" layer that made Ken the fan favorite of the franchise.
- The "Cough Drop" Hack: Next time you’re dying for a candy bar, try a high-quality herbal tea or a sugar-free lozenge. It’s a psychological trick to tell your brain the "eating" process is happening without the caloric fallout.
The legacy of the Matt Bomer Magic Mike era isn't just about the dancing. It’s about a guy who took a potentially silly role and gave it enough heart (and vocal talent) to make it memorable. Ken might be retired from the stage, but the "Zen Stripper" remains a masterclass in how to own a supporting role.