Joe Manganiello Reveals Being Cast as Deathstroke in Ben Affleck's Batman Movie Motivated Him to Overcome Near-Fatal Health Crisis
Actor Joe Manganiello has shared a hellish story about how being cast as Deathstroke in Ben Affleck's scrapped Batman movie motivated to overcome drastic health issues.
Joe Manganiello has disclosed that being cast as Deathstroke in a scrapped Ben Affleck Batman movie motivated him to overcome severe health challenges. The actor was slated to portray the villain in a Ben Affleck-directed film in the late 2010s. However, Manganiello was battling numerous health issues around the time of his casting, including an autoimmune disease that nearly killed him.
He collapsed on the set of a Seal Team Six mini-series in 2016, leading to a hospital stay to diagnose his condition. The disease had damaged his thyroid and intestines, causing rectal bleeding and the need for an ostomy bag to manage his digestive waste. This experience transformed his life, resulting in a dramatic weight loss from 235 pounds to 176 pounds and a mental breakdown.
Despite his wife's reluctance due to his fragile health, Manganiello saw the role as a glimmer of hope for recovery. He hid his health issues from the cast and crew to avoid any accidents with his ostomy bag. Eventually, the Ben Affleck Batman film was canceled in favor of a reboot with Robert Pattinson. Affleck later revealed that he quit due to alcoholism and depression.
Manganiello later appeared in two brief Deathstroke cameos in Justice League, but never fully reprised the role in DC's new universe. He expressed his willingness to return to the character if given the opportunity.
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