Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve ever sat through seven seasons of Sons of Anarchy, you know that the back of Charlie Hunnam’s head isn’t the only thing the camera spent a lot of time on. There’s a specific "vibe" to his career that involves a lot of denim, a lot of leather, and, quite frequently, no clothes at all.
But here’s the thing most people miss. For Hunnam, being on screen without a shirt—or without anything else—isn’t just about the "thirst trap" of it all. It’s actually been a weirdly consistent part of his job since he was a teenager.
The "Baptism of Fire" at 18
You might think the naked Charlie Hunnam era started with Jax Teller’s morning routines in Charming, California. It didn't. It actually started in 1999 on the British series Queer as Folk.
He was only 18. He played Nathan Maloney, a 15-year-old navigating the Manchester gay scene. The show was groundbreaking, but it was also incredibly explicit. Hunnam has often called this his "baptism of fire." He was thrown into the deep end of on-camera sexuality before he even really knew what a film set was.
Interestingly, he actually filmed a full-frontal scene for that show. It ended up being cut because of censorship laws regarding the age of his character, but the experience stuck. It made him fearless. Or, as he puts it, he simply has "nothing to hide."
Why He Pushed to Bare it All in Monsters: The Ed Gein Story
Fast forward to late 2025. Hunnam is 45 now. He’s playing the "Butcher of Plainfield," Ed Gein, in Ryan Murphy's Monster anthology. It’s a dark, unsettling pivot from his usual hero roles.
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There is a scene in the show where Hunnam is completely naked.
The wild part? That scene was originally supposed to be cut. Hunnam was the one who fought to keep it in. He argued that to truly show the vulnerability and the sheer "unintegrated" psychology of a man like Gein, the audience had to see him at his most exposed.
"I would not feel confident about being photographed naked," Hunnam told ET in late 2025. "I would never submit to that voluntarily. But my body may be naked, and I’m still hiding behind Ed."
It’s a bizarre contradiction. He’s a self-proclaimed "profound germophobe" who hates kissing costars. He’s been with his partner, Morgana McNelis, for nearly two decades and says he doesn't want to kiss anyone but her. Yet, he will strip down for a character if he thinks it serves the story.
The Sons of Anarchy "Modesty Bag"
If you’ve ever wondered how those steamy Sons of Anarchy scenes actually worked, the reality is a lot less glamorous than the FX edit.
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Costar Kim Coates (who played Tig) once joked that he never wanted to see Charlie’s "naughty bits," but the production crew had a system. To keep things professional, Hunnam used what’s basically a nude-colored drawstring bag for his... well, you get it.
The "Sons" vibe was very specific: show the tattoos, show the "ass grinding" (as costars have bluntly put it), but keep the front strictly for the imagination. It’s a far cry from the "full-frontal" fearlessness of his youth, but it became his signature.
Physical Toll: 1,000 Push-ups and 145 Pounds
You don't get that "rippled" look just by showing up. Hunnam’s physique is the result of what sounds like a borderline obsessive routine.
- For King Arthur: He gained 20 pounds of muscle, hitting about 185 lbs. His secret wasn't fancy gym equipment. It was volume. He did 1,000 push-ups a day. If he missed a day? He’d do 1,500 the next to catch up.
- For The Lost City of Z: He had to pivot from "muscle-bound king" to "starving explorer" in ten days. He lost 10 pounds in that week and a half by essentially not eating.
- For Papillon: He dropped down to 145 lbs. His costar Rami Malek was legitimately worried about him because he looked so gaunt and fragile.
The Fifty Shades "Trauma"
We can't talk about Hunnam being naked on screen without mentioning the movie he didn't do.
He was the original Christian Grey. He was ready to do it, too. He told the press he was excited for the "challenge" of the explicit scenes. But the timing with Sons of Anarchy and Crimson Peak was a mess. He suffered what he described as a "nervous breakdown" over the workload and had to pull out.
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To this day, he says he hasn't seen the movie. It’s too painful. He’d put so much work into "becoming" that character that watching someone else (Jamie Dornan) play the part felt like opening a wound.
What This Means for Your Routine
If you’re looking at Charlie Hunnam’s physique as motivation, there are a few "expert" takeaways that are actually practical:
- Functional over Aesthetic: He prefers pull-ups, dips, and squats over heavy weightlifting. It creates a "fighter’s body" rather than a bodybuilder's look.
- Consistency as Therapy: He’s been vocal about how working out keeps him from "getting dark." It’s as much for his mental health as it is for the camera.
- Clean Fuel: He mostly sticks to a high-protein, clean-eating diet, though he’s known to skip meat until the evening.
Honestly, the "naked" aspect of his career is just a byproduct of his commitment to the bit. Whether it's playing a teenager in Manchester or a serial killer in Wisconsin, he views his body as just another tool in the kit.
The next step for any fan is to stop looking for the "shortcuts." There aren't any. If you want the results, you start with the first 50 push-ups and go from there.
Actionable Insights
- Focus on Bodyweight: Build a foundation with push-ups, pull-ups, and dips before hitting heavy weights if you want that lean, "Hollywood" look.
- Prioritize Recovery: Hunnam’s 1,000-push-up-a-day routine is extreme and can lead to injury for most people; aim for high frequency but listen to your joints.
- Mental Health First: Use exercise as a routine for mental clarity, not just for the mirror.