Stepping into the boots of an 80s pop-culture titan is daunting enough. But standing on the largest soundstage of your career, holding a legendary broadsword, and preparing to utter four of the most famous words in animation history? That is enough to paralyze any actor. For Nicholas Galitzine, who brings Prince Adam and He-Man to life in the upcoming live-action adaptation, the pressure to deliver “I have the power!” was immense.

On June 5th, director Travis Knight brings Masters of the Universe to the big screen in an epic live-action adventure. After being separated from his birthplace for 15 years, the Sword of Power guides Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia, only to find his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). Adam must embrace his destiny as He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe.

Finding the Human in a Larger-than-Life Icon

Crew and cast members frequently asked if he was practicing the line at home. Yet, Galitzine chose a surprisingly risky strategy: he refused to over-rehearse it. Instead, he chose to keep the performance completely raw, turning a classic cartoon catchphrase into a deeply emotional, tear-jerking moment of personal and character catharsis. While much of the anticipation surrounding a live-action Masters of the Universe film centers on the explosive action sequences and massive physical transformations, Galitzine and director Travis Knight were fiercely committed to finding the story’s emotional heartbeat.

“The thing that Travis and I really connected on was: How do we find the human of this sort of larger-than-life character?” Galitzine shared during a recent press conference. According to the actor, Prince Adam’s journey is defined by a lifetime of isolation and doubt. “This is a guy who really has been gaslit for most of his life. No one believes he is who he is. Despite having this kind of unbreakable sense of hope, it’s bashed almost every single day of his life.”

When it came time to film the definitive transformation sequence, all of that accumulated hardship came rushing to the surface.

Channelling 13 Years of Rejection

To make the moment resonate, Galitzine didn’t just tap into Prince Adam’s fictional struggles, he tapped into his own. Though he has recently risen to global prominence, the actor spent over a decade grinding through the brutal realities of the entertainment industry. “I think for a lot of people, especially with a movie like this, they kind of assume that you just burst onto the scene,” Galitzine reflected. “But this is 13 years in the making.”

When asked if shouting the line felt like a personal release, Galitzine didn’t hold back:

“Yeah, I channeled it. I remember saying that incantation… that moment is just so many moments of rejection and earning it, earning the right to say that line. I was thinking of every casting director who ever rejected me. That’s why I think I shed a tear or two on it.”

By consciously avoiding over-rehearsing the line in the comfort of his home. Galitzine ensured that when he finally screamed it at the top of his lungs on set, the vulnerability and triumph were real.

Moving the Director to Tears

The raw energy of that first transformation didn’t just affect Galitzine; it overwhelmed the entire set. Director Travis Knight recalled watching the scene unfold from behind the monitors and being completely swept away by the weight of the performance.

“Probably the most moving thing was the day that Nick did that famous incantation where he transforms into He-Man for the first time,” Knight said. “I was welling up. I was getting really emotional just because it was such an incredible thing.”

Knight emphasized that while audiences will love the spectacle, it’s the internal shift that gives the film its power. “A lot of people talk about the physical transformation, but I think the emotional transformation is also equally as important, and I believe that they probably inform each other.”

By anchoring a fantastical superhero transformation in the very real, human experience of overcoming years of rejection, Galitzine has given a beloved piece of childhood nostalgia a beating, vulnerable heart.

Masters of the Universe will be exclusively in theaters on June 5, 2026.