Adam Driver's 'hardcore' training payoff: The shirtless scene in 'Last Jedi' that had everyone talking.

Taking a jaunt back to 2017, we revisit the scene that had the Star Wars fandom - and indeed, the whole galaxy - talking. Adam Driver, with his brooding Kylo Ren demeanor and newly buff physique, took center stage in a memorable shirtless scene in 'The Last Jedi'. So how did this cinematic moment come about? Well, according to director Rian Johnson, as reported by Mashable, it was all thanks to Driver's intensive training and unwavering confidence.

"Adam Driver: The Force's Favorite Beefcake"

Adam Driver didn't just waltz onto the set of 'The Last Jedi' looking chiseled out of marble - it took six months of 'hardcore' training to achieve that physique. But how was this hard-earned fitness rewarded? With a shirtless scene, of course! "Adam looks so damn good because he’d been training hardcore for the past six months for those fight scenes," Johnson revealed. "I’m like, ‘Eh. He looks so good. We should put him up there.'"

And it wasn't just the director who was impressed with the result. The actor himself was apparently quite comfortable with his shirtless appearance. After all, being nearly nude on screen was nothing new for him, given his run on the TV series 'Girls'. "He’s great,” Johnson told People. “He knew he looked good.”

"The Shirtless Scene: More Than Just Eye Candy"

Although the scene is remembered for its eye-catching spectacle, the production team had a deeper narrative reason for featuring Driver's shirtless Kylo Ren. The scene was integral in establishing the depth of the Force connection between Kylo Ren and Rey, allowing the audience to understand the rules of this powerful link in real-time. "Over the course of those sequences, you come to understand all the rules of the Force connection," editor Bob Ducsay told Huffington Post.

In conclusion, the much-talked-about 'beefcake moment' of 'The Last Jedi' wasn't just a gratuitous display of Adam Driver's physique, it was a narrative tool subtly demonstrating the unfolding relationship between Kylo Ren and Rey, as well as being a testament to Driver's commitment and hard work. Who knew a shirtless scene could have such depth?

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)