Finding long-term success in any field takes great commitment. To consistently improve with age, however, requires another level of dedication, as Johnathon Schaech is now proving as perhaps the fittest fifty-something in Hollywood. Not only is he currently at the top of his acting career, but at age 54, Schaech has perfected his physique to bodybuilding-winning levels.
And he’s just getting started.
Schaech—perhaps best known for his role as Wonders lead singer Jimmy Mattingly in the ‘90s hit film That Thing You Do—plays the shredded and no-nonsense Sheriff Justin Wise, in INSP Network’s new season of Blue Ridge, the TV series that follows the story of the 2020 film.
The actor and bodybuilder shared that inspiration for the character came from his father, a police officer in the Baltimore area where Schaech grew up. The actor said that life may have imitated art because he sees more of his dad in his character and himself.
“I think I’ve become old-school for sure because I got two kids and became my dad, basically,” he says.
Fitness is a Daily Commitment For Jonathon Schaech
You can tell by seeing photos of Schaech that he takes his health and body seriously as he does each role since his breakout performance in the 1996 film in which he starred alongside Tom Hanks. Getting the job done in the gym has become the cornerstone of his daily routine, which dates back to his days as teenage model, most notably for GQ.
“When I was 19, GQ offered to fly me to France to do a photo shoot with the top 10 French actresses at the time,” he recalls. “I went out there every single day, with a new actress and took photos with them. That was my GQ experience.”
These days at his home in Nashville, Schaech is normally up at 6 a.m. And if there’s no conflicting schedules with filming, it’s off to train.
“I get up, I eat my protein pancake, and coffee,” Johnathon Schaech says. “And then I get to the gym. I train usually for an hour.”
If he doesn’t do cardio, then he immediately goes into dad mode when he is not on set.
Even though fitness is a big part of his life, there are times he has to turn the dial up, such as when he starts filming again for more episodes.
“So, I’m getting back into Justin Wise shape,” he explained. “I have to be able to kick and throw and move.”
He still does his best to train before he goes on set, but if that doesn’t work out, he goes once the day’s work is done. He is also strict with the diet, eating five to seven meals a day. Maintaining that eating routine requires him to meal prep in order to his nutrition. And for the most part, his family is OK with his unique dietary habits.
“They hate when I meal prep with fish, because the house will smell like fish,” he admits. “But if I do chicken, they’re OK with it.”
From the Big and Small Screens To The Bodybuilding Stage
That consistency is what he will use to help him go from his usual 195-pound bodyweight to a more shredded 185 for his role as sheriff. Fortunately for him, he has a lifelong friend who knows a thing or two about getting in shape for both the stage and the screen.
“There’s no better coach than Mike O’Hearn,” Schaech says. “Over the last 30 years he’s taught me that it’s just not the muscles, it’s the mind and philosophy of training. I’ve literally followed Mike’s every word.”
Like O’Hearn, Schaech followed bodybuilding over the years, and he always had an itch to get onstage himself. He called “Titan” and recruited him to be a coach while preparing for a contest in Tennessee.
Schaech recalled, “Every day, he gave me a regimen to do,” he says. We would be on the phone back and forth. And I just trained my tail off, dieted like a pro. Then I won my Mr. Over 50. Mr. Tennessee.”
Schaech may have been the one standing on center stage, but he emphasized that his result was a team effort, and O’Hearn, who also has a part in Blue Ridge, was a big component of his success.
“So, we’re really teammates and it was there there’s no better teammate.”
Like O’Hearn, Schaech feels better after getting his iron in. He trains with a bodybuilder-type split—chest on one day, back on another, then shoulders, followed by arms, and legs to end the week.
“Then I repeat, and I do abs every single day.”
Johnathon Schaech Has a Wide Range of Fitness
Looking the part of a tough guy is one thing, but when the cameras are rolling, Schaech must be able to throw down—or at least act as if he’s in a real-life fight scene. Besides working with O’Hearn, he’s laced up the gloves with another Hollywood action star—Frank Grillo. “Grillo’s a lot tougher than me,” he says. “He throws punches every single day. I can’t do that.”
That is why he sometimes takes training to the mats with Brazilian jiujitsu. Sean Patrick Flannery served as a mentor and training partner for him while they were filming the 2022 film Frank and Penelope.
“He’s a badass, a true badass,” Schaech says.
He may not be going into a cage anytime soon, but even in his 50s, Johnathon Schaech doesn’t allow himself any wiggle room, even with a shoulder injury suffered a decade ago during a celebrity baseball game. He made sure he learned and trained just as he would if he was going to enter a tournament.
“I trained privately so that I can do it and make it look good, because I’m an athlete so I can do those things.”
He may look like he is in his 20’s, but Johnathon Schaech knows that recovery matters even more as he gets older. Peptides, supplements, and stretching help with that. Two priorities he really focuses on are water and sleep. He shared that he was drinking upwards of two gallons a day when doing his show, and he must make sure to get to bed every night, regardless of what he is focused on while he is awake.
“If I’m in regimen, I can get eight hours of sleep, and that’s great. Under six is really difficult,” he explained. “I do meditation. I do some breathing. That helps me be able to sleep a lot better. And really getting really comfortable pillow helps a lot too.”
Johnathon Schaech Stays Ready For Every Role
Training and following a routine at home can be simple, but Schaech does not always have that luxury. He’ll be ready to resume filming soon, and that means finding the best ways to stay in shape and getting his workouts in. He places a lot of emphasis on this because he considers it a key to his success.
He said, “Well, first off, I have a great team out there. For Blue Ridge, they found gyms for me. I had a gym where I stayed. And then I had a gym three minutes from where I’m staying. No commute time going home working out go right back shower and go to bed. So, I wake up, work out, and get to the set. And we have showers at this at the at our location our studio.”
Like many successful people, Johnathon Schaech is still planning ahead. There are other roles he can take on, and you never know when another opportunity will present itself. It can be easy to assume he would be typecast to play a similar role, but he has a wide range of skills in front of the camera just as he does in the gym. Regardless of what he is about to do, he sees himself as a leader.
“I love taking the lead and guiding people and and bringing my values and principles in everything that I do.