USA TODAY
Kumail Nanjiani turned heads in late 2019 after revealing his muscular physique in preparation for his role as Kingo in Marvel s Eternals. About a year later, another picture of Nanjiani, the Pakistani-American star of Silicon Valley and The Big Sick, showed him celebrating 2021 in a tight, long-sleeved shirt that showed off his bulging biceps. It spurred quick backlash, with Twitter trolls accusing the star of taking steroids or having plastic surgery.
Nanjiani has not addressed the negative replies and did not respond to USA TODAY s request for comment.
But experts say the outcry over the actor s chiseled physique is a result of systemic racism and a misguided standard of masculinity.