Check Out the Intense Fitness Routine That Helped Lily James Prepare for “Pam & Tommy”

Lily James at the
Lily James at the "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" premiere in 2018. Photo by Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock (9763089dm)

Lily James knocked us off our feet with her spot-on transformation into Pamela Anderson in Hulu’s mini-series Pam & Tommy. The British actress did a great job copying the Baywatch star’s iconic look, and none of that would be possible without the intense workout that she committed to.

James’ trainer Matt Bevan recently discussed her routine with Vogue, and it seems she really went all-in when it came to physically transforming into Anderson. They worked together for four months, and James often had to tune in for virtual workouts at 5:30 in the morning or after a 16-hour day on set.

They usually did four to five workouts a week, focusing on basic exercises with standard equipment because James was training remotely. Light dumbbells, resistance bands, sliding discs, and towels are some of the equipment pieces she used in the beginning, but the routine became more grueling along the way.

She later switched to full-body strength, circuit-based workouts, which increased her strength and aerobic conditioning. Bevan help James develop lean muscle with such moves as banded deadlifts and kettlebell goblet squats, and he praised her commitment to this intense routine.

“Lily’s words, not mine, were that she went from ‘zero to hero’ when it comes to exercise. All I asked when we began was that she did the best she could and she turned up time after time with the best intention to work hard and give it her all,” Bevan told Vogue.