Camila Mendes has always been into a casual workout, but now, she’s in training all week.
The Riverdale alum, 30, is starring as Teela in Masters of the Universe alongside Nicholas Galitzine, fulfilling a lifelong dream of hers to star in a superhero movie. But unlike Veronica Lodge, the beloved Riverdale pampered princess Mendes rose to fame for playing, Teela requires a physical transformation — and Mendes was ready to take the challenge on.
“I’ve always wanted to have a role that I could train for and be physical and just see what my body is capable of because the motivation to do something to this extent wasn’t really there unless there was a character to do it for,” she tells PEOPLE.
The extent is far-reaching: Mendes trains Monday through Friday, from stunt training to weight lifting, alternating between bulking and cutting phases. The transition is new to her, as someone who previously didn’t work out with “specific” goals in mind but rather just did “whatever feels good.”
To that end, her latest partnership with Adidas as the face of the new colorways for the Supernova Rise 2 shoe is right up her alley as someone who has a self-professed “love-hate” relationship with cardio.
“The best part is when it’s over,” Mendes jokes, adding that she feels the new sneaker is just comfortable enough to embody that.
Beyond resonating with the message, working with a globally recognized brand like Adidas strikes a personal note for Mendes, who has already worked with the likes of Chanel and Secret Deodorant. But Adidas, she says, is even more special — specifically to her family.
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“This really feels like a brand that when I tell my family, ‘I’m doing an Adidas campaign,’ it’s like their reaction is always really cool because … it means so much to so many people,” she says. “Everyone owns Adidas in their closet. It’s a part of everyone’s wardrobe in some way, whether they even realize it or not.”
From an impressive acting résumé to aspirational campaigns, Mendes is proud of how far she’s come — and her fans do a good job reminding her of her own goals too.
She reflects on a photo one of her followers shared on X recently of a journal Mendes found while looking through her childhood closet. The entry read, “I want to be an actress when I grow up.”
“It’s just so crazy to have manifested that at such a young age to have known what I’ve always wanted to be at such a young age,” Mendes says. “And then to be there now, and especially with this role specifically.”
She continues, “To be able to combine my love of acting with this other physical side that’s a huge part of my life, it’s really awesome.”
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