Alexander Skarsgard has talked about how he bulked up in order to convince as the lord of the jungle in upcoming blockbuster The Legend Of Tarzan.

The 39-year-old Swede made the revelations during an interview for Men’s Health magazine’s August issue. He explained that his main concern was not looking too muscly.

Alexander said: “I wanted to get bigger than I was. But I didn’t want to look like a body-builder. It was important that every single fibre and every muscle was there for a reason. In the wild, everything has a purpose, otherwise nature gets rid of it.”

Alexander Skarsgard in The Legend Of Tarzan (2016 Edgar Rice Burroughs/Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Films)
Alexander Skarsgard in The Legend Of Tarzan (2016 Edgar Rice Burroughs/Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Films)

The hunky star, who is from a famous acting dynasty, also said he wanted to impress his father Stellan Skarsgard.

The hugely respected 65-year-old actor is best known for his role as Bootstrap Bill in Pirates Of The Caribbean and for playing Doctor Erik Selvig in the Marvel films Thor and The Avengers.

Stellan is a big Tarzan fan and Alexander told the magazine his introduction to the lord of the jungle came via his father.

Alexander’s brothers Bill, Gustaf, Sam and Valter are also in the entertainment business, although the Tarzan man is arguably the most famous due to his portrayal of vampire Eric Northman in HBO’s True Blood.

Alexander Skarsgard (Joel Ryan/AP)
Alexander Skarsgard (Joel Ryan/AP)

Bill, best known for TV series Hemlock Grove, will play Pennywise the evil clown in the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s It.

Gustaf’s profile rose following his role as Floki in History Channel series Vikings, while Sam and Valter are best known for Swedish screen vehicles.

Tarzan, the legendary character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is expected to propel Alexander to super-stardom around the globe. The film also stars Margot Robbie, Samuel L Jackson, Djimon Hounsou, Jim Broadbent and two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz.

The Legend Of Tarzan's Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie and Alexander Skarsgard (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
The Legend Of Tarzan’s Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie and Alexander Skarsgard (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

In The Legend Of Tarzan, it has been years since the man once known as Tarzan left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as Lord Greystoke with his beloved wife Jane at his side.

He has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly game of greed and revenge.

Alexander has won an army of fans on social media who are all gushing over his ripped physique.

Phwoar, Alexander!

The Legend Of Tarzan is released in the UK on July 8.