From Steroids to Storytelling: Chris Levine Breaks Down the Real-Life Struggles Behind ‘Anabolic Life’ and His New Novel
“Most Muscular is based on my original script that I wrote back in 2014… I started with a short film about bodybuilding, which eventually turned into the feature. We shopped it all over Hollywood because no one had really seen a film dealing with steroid abuse in a gritty, indie, Sundance-style kind of way. We ended up making the film, and I went through a big physical transformation for it… A year after the film came out, I won Best Actor at the Orlando Film Festival… Then about a year ago, things slowed down, and I thought, ‘You know what, I still believe in this story. If people aren’t going to watch the film, maybe they’ll read the book.’”
I had the pleasure of talking with Chris Levine. Chris is an American actor, filmmaker, and author whose work often navigates themes of body image, masculinity, and identity through a deeply personal lens. Based in Los Angeles, Levine is best known for his independent film Anabolic Life and his latest novel Most Muscular, a companion piece that expands on the psychological terrain explored in the film. With a background that spans marketing, personal training, and screenwriting, Levine’s unconventional path into the entertainment industry has informed a body of work that is marked by raw introspection and emotional candor.
Born and raised in South Florida, Levine’s early life offered little indication that he would pursue a creative career. His interests as a teenager leaned more toward cars and social pursuits than the arts. It wasn’t until his late 20s, while working a stable marketing job, that he encountered video production and began dabbling in green screen segments for his employer. Although reluctant at first, he found himself drawn to the process. Encouraged by an increasing demand for his on-camera work and driven by a persistent sense of dissatisfaction in corporate life, Levine began exploring acting and screenwriting in earnest.
A self-described outsider to traditional theater culture, Levine’s first steps into acting came through local student films in Florida. These early experiences, though modest, gave him the momentum he needed to relocate to California. He moved in with a friend in Riverside, an area far removed from the heart of the Los Angeles film scene, and eventually transitioned into the city proper after several months of acclimating and reassessing his goals. There, he enrolled in acting classes and began laying the groundwork for what would become his first major project.
That project was Anabolic Life, a feature film Levine wrote, produced, and starred in. The story, which centers on a man’s descent into the world of performance-enhancing drugs and toxic self-improvement, was inspired in part by Levine’s own experience with bodybuilding and steroid use. After struggling to retain personal training clients due to his physique, Levine found himself increasingly consumed by the fitness industry’s hyper-masculine ideals. He later used those experiences as source material for both the film and its novelization.
While Anabolic Life earned Levine a Best Actor award at the Orlando Film Festival, he later reflected on the compromises made during production, particularly the editorial decisions that diluted his original script. Those frustrations eventually led to Most Muscular, a novel that returns to the story with greater creative control and emotional depth. Published in 2025, the book explores the internal collapse of a man whose obsession with strength masks a deeper fragility, offering a more unfiltered portrayal of male insecurity and societal pressure.
Unlike his earlier work in children’s literature, Dinosaur Discoveries and Jurassic Terrors, Most Muscular is Levine’s first foray into adult fiction. He has described it as his most personal project to date. The novel’s protagonist, Adam Stenson, serves as a composite of Levine’s own experiences and broader cultural archetypes. The story diverges significantly from the film in tone and structure, especially in its third act, which reflects Levine’s original screenplay before it underwent changes during production.
Levine is also interested in expanding Jewish cultural representation in film. Amid growing polarization and underrepresentation, he has expressed a desire to produce family-oriented holiday films that celebrate Jewish traditions in accessible and relatable ways. Citing the warmth and simplicity of experiences like Shabbat dinners, he hopes to counterbalance prevailing narratives with stories that highlight connection and joy within the Jewish community.
Throughout his career, Levine has emphasized the importance of adaptability, community, and self-belief. He credits much of his success to networking, a willingness to pursue projects without waiting for external validation, and a strong support system that has helped him weather the highs and lows of the entertainment world. His message to aspiring creatives is grounded in realism: stay financially stable, surround yourself with honest allies, and don’t assume that longevity in the industry always equates to wisdom.
Now with multiple projects behind him and a growing body of work that bridges film and literature, Levine continues to explore the vulnerabilities that lie beneath public performance — whether in the gym, on screen, or in everyday life. Most Muscular stands as a culmination of those explorations, a novel steeped in the lived tension between appearance and identity.
Yitzi: Before we dive in deeper, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Chris: I’m born and raised in South Florida. From an early age, my mom always said, “One day you’re going to be a lawyer or you’re going to be an actor. I don’t know which, but one of those things.” I didn’t really love school enough to go the lawyer route, so I ended up going to school for marketing. In my late 20s, a little over 10 years ago, I had a good marketing job, making good money. It was right at the cusp of YouTube and everything taking off really fast.
I started getting into video production for the company I was working for. In South Florida, there wasn’t much of an acting community, so I started doing green screen work for the company because nobody else could do it. I didn’t really want to do it, but I did it anyway. It just so happened that the company said, “Hey, we’re going to hire you to do more of this if you want.” I thought, maybe there’s something here.
That led me to writing a bit more. I started getting into screenwriting, and one day I Googled “how to be an actor in South Florida.” I started doing student films and things like that, and eventually built enough momentum to move out here about 13 years ago.
Yitzi: So tell us the next chapter. How did you first get started in the industry?
Chris: Yeah, like I said, I was doing green screen work and never really thought about being an actor. I wasn’t into theater at all. In high school and college, I was into cars, girls, and money. Theater and being a thespian were never really on my radar. But I always loved movies — especially horror movies.
Eventually, I started feeling burnt out at the marketing job. Something just didn’t feel right. I used to think the whole “money can’t buy happiness” thing was a cliché, but I was making good money and still wasn’t happy. Like I mentioned, I Googled how to be an actor, started writing a little, and began working on student films in South Florida.
I had a friend from high school who lived in Riverside, out here in California. Riverside is only about 60 miles from LA, but coming from South Florida, 60 miles sounds like an hour away. I didn’t realize that 60 miles in LA is like being in a different country. I quit my job, sold everything, and moved in with my friend. I was sleeping on his floor because his other rooms were filled with marijuana plants. That was an experience.
That only lasted about six months before I realized I was too far from LA and needed my own space. Six months later, I found a regular day job to keep me afloat, started getting into acting classes, moved to LA, and that’s really where everything started to come together for me.
Yitzi: Beautiful. You probably have some great stories from your experience in entering the industry, either on set or auditioning or any part of it. Can you share with our readers one or two stories that most stand out in your mind from your professional life?
Chris: It’s funny. Let’s see. One story that really stands out — and it might not be that entertaining to non-actors — but I remember working with my acting coach, and this was the moment I realized what being an actor really meant. It was about a year into living in LA and training. My acting coach was running a scene with a few girls who were supposed to be drunk at brunch, just chatting away. But none of them were really committing to the scene.
When you’re in a small theater space during acting class, it’s tough. They weren’t getting it. So he stepped in to show us what true commitment looked like. He grabbed a glass, like they were supposed to, and put it right on the edge of the table, knowing it would probably fall. Now, you or I would never do that — we’d worry about the glass breaking, someone stepping on it, all that. But in that moment, he was so committed to the character that he didn’t care. And that’s when it hit me. Acting is about fully freeing yourself to be where you’re supposed to be emotionally, not where you actually are physically. That moment stuck with me. So, if any actors are reading this, I hope that resonates.
Another story that really meant a lot to me was being on the set of my first feature film, Anabolic Life, which I wrote, produced, and starred in. That project eventually led to my book. We cast Daniel Baldwin, who, at the time, was the biggest actor I’d ever worked with. Having him on set was wild. You could immediately tell he’d been doing this forever — the confidence, the way he talked to us as first-time filmmakers.
I remember him giving me really solid advice and even complimenting me on what I was trying to do with the film. If you watch it, my character isn’t super likable, and I was going through a rough time trying to figure it all out. But Daniel came up to me, slapped me on the back, handed me some of his own coffee, and said, “Bro, you’re doing so good. Let’s get back out there.” I thought that was pretty cool.
Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a funny mistake that you made when you were first starting acting and the lesson that you learned from it?
Chris: I do. Early on, I had a big audition for Modern Family. It wasn’t just a one-day role either — it was supposed to be a small arc for the character. I went in there thinking I knew the lines. I remember the office so vividly. There were headshots everywhere, just scattered all over the place — like these poor actors’ souls covering the floor — and it completely threw me off.
I put the sides down right away because I wanted to show I was confident. I thought, “I’ve got this.” But as soon as I started, I just froze. Completely blanked. And like a lot of us do, I said, “Oh, sorry, sorry, let me start again.” But once you’re apologizing in the room, it’s pretty much over. You’re not getting that role.
I picked the sides back up, tried to find where I was, and finished, but I was totally off. The big lesson I learned from that? Always keep the sides in your hand, even if you think you know it cold. Also, don’t be afraid to take a moment. That applies to everything in life. Before an interview, before a conversation like this, just take a breath, ground yourself, find your words and your center. Don’t let outside distractions shake you.
And you know, looking back, maybe I wasn’t ready as an actor at that time. If I had gotten that role, maybe I would’ve done a poor job and it could’ve left a bad impression. You never know. Everything in life — especially in this industry — happens for a reason.
Yitzi: Well maybe this book will turn into an international bestseller, turn into a movie, and you’ll make much more money from the book than you ever imagined.
Chris: Could you imagine? Could you imagine? Honestly, I just hope people like it. It’s something I’d been thinking about for a long time. And now that things have slowed down a bit, I felt like it was the right time to finally put those words into a book — for myself.
Yitzi: That’s great. It’s amazing. So let’s talk about it. You have so much impressive work. Can you share with the readers the exciting projects that you’re working on now? Please tell us more about the book and why we have to read it and buy it.
Chris: Yeah, of course. So let’s start with the book. Most Muscular is based on my original script that I wrote back in 2014, so about 11 years ago. At the time, I was in that acting class I mentioned earlier, and I wasn’t really getting cast in anything. I thought, “I’ve got to create something for myself.”
In college, I was a personal trainer. But I’ve always been a skinny kid, and even when I ate right, lifted heavy, and was strong, it was really hard for me to put on size. I was losing clients because of it. They wanted to train with someone who looked the part, even though being a good trainer is really about knowledge and mindset.
I remember seeing this huge bodybuilder at the gym — I’m talking veins through his quads, visor, fanny pack, the whole classic bodybuilder look. He trained there all the time, and I finally walked up to him and asked, “How do I look like you?” He said, “Well, we’ve got to get you on some gear.” That was my introduction to steroids.
At the time, I was partying a lot, not focused on school, just kind of floating through life between classes and training. So I thought, “If I’m going to do this, let’s really do it. Let’s try competing.” And that led to about two years of straight steroid use, competing in bodybuilding shows, and getting completely consumed by that world. A lot of that experience, especially my interactions with that guy, made it into the book in a fictionalized form.
So I started with a short film about bodybuilding, which eventually turned into the feature. We shopped it all over Hollywood because no one had really seen a film dealing with steroid abuse in a gritty, indie, Sundance-style kind of way. We ended up making the film, and I went through a big physical transformation for it.
But when money gets involved, everyone suddenly has opinions. I had to make a decision early on: do I protect the script, or do I allow it to be changed so the film gets made? I was desperate to make something, so I let the script go through a lot of changes. I was so focused on myself as an actor, on my weight loss and weight gain, that I didn’t really fight for the script the way I should have.
A year after the film came out, I won Best Actor at the Orlando Film Festival. There was a producer there who said, “We should adapt this into a book.” That was about six years ago. I started trying to do it, but I just couldn’t figure out how to turn the script into a novel. I kind of hoped he would just do it for me, but he didn’t want to. So it went on the back burner.
Then about a year ago, things slowed down, and I thought, “You know what, I still believe in this story. If people aren’t going to watch the film, maybe they’ll read the book.” That’s when I started adapting it myself.
Yitzi: So, how is the book different than the film?
Chris: The book is different in that there’s so much more detail about the lead character, Adam Stenson — his journey, his perspective, his outlook on everything. There’s more depth in the situations he gets into. It’s a lot more raw and more graphic, in a sense. And the entire third act of the book is completely different from the film. It’s actually much closer to my original script.
It’s not a feel-good book. You’re not going to finish it feeling inspired to take on the day, but I think there’s beauty in the tragedy. That’s what makes it powerful.
Yitzi: I’m looking at the cover — it’s an amazing cover. Was that made with AI?
Chris: I hired an artist to create it. I told him I didn’t want it to be fully AI, because people have strong feelings about that. Even though AI is going to shape our lives in a big way over the next five years — and I use it all the time for other things — I didn’t want a fully AI-generated cover.
The artist said, “Chris, the way it works now is AI-assisted. I use AI assets and then adapt and refine them into the final piece.” He explained that unless I wanted something completely hand-drawn, that’s just the way things are done now. And I said, “You know what? That’s fine.” I’m not anti-AI. I hired an artist who wanted to use AI as a tool, and I’m okay with that. As long as the artist still has a job and a voice in the process, that’s what matters to me.
Yitzi: Right. I love that. That was actually my question. I use AI to help with editing — it’s way better than just spellcheck — but when someone submits an interview that’s entirely AI-generated, it feels disrespectful. I’m trying to share personal perspectives. And I get the sense that in entertainment, there’s an even stronger rejection of AI. The strike was, in part, about protections against AI. So how do you straddle that? Do you not care? What’s your approach?
Chris: Totally. I think what AI is doing right now is a lot like how people responded to the internet when it first started. It’s fear-based. People are saying, “It’s going to take our jobs.” It’s the same kind of panic we had when the internet came along.
But I believe you either get on board and learn how to use it, or you get left behind. If you’re a creative, a mechanic, a sound designer — whatever you do — you can use AI to become a better version of yourself. The people who are truly afraid of AI, whether it’s about their likeness or their jobs, are often the ones who’ve just been coasting. The ones who succeed are the ones who are willing to hit the wave, adapt, and evolve.
That’s how I look at it. I’ll ride the wave in whatever way makes sense. If my sound designer uses AI to isolate and clean up audio on a film, of course I’m going to use that. If my cover artist uses AI to help create something that looks amazing, why would I say no?
I’ve even used AI with my own scripts. If I’ve written a scene that feels like it’s missing something, I’ll put it into AI — in the right way — and get some ideas. But the key is knowing how to use it. I always say, “Tell ChatGPT what it is before you ask it what to do.” I’ll say something like, “You’re a professional screenwriter with 50 years of experience in horror. Help me make this scene scarier.”
So why wouldn’t I take advantage of that to improve my work? Why be against something that can make me better?
Yitzi: It’s great. I saw recently, just a couple days ago, that Nintendo had backlash for supposedly using an AI image in a game, and they had to release a statement saying there was no AI involved. To me, that just seems silly. If you use one picture, who cares? The whole game wasn’t made with AI.
Chris: Yeah, that’s crazy to me. And again, that’s fear-based thinking. People get caught up in this panic that AI is going to take over everything.
Yitzi: But like you said, you hired a person. AI didn’t take away a job. That’s a really nice framework.
Chris: Exactly. I’m not trying to replace jobs. But I do want the people I hire to understand that if they can be better at what they do by using AI, then why wouldn’t they?
Yitzi: In terms of the book, what is the message that you hope society takes from its themes?
Chris: Oh, interesting. You know, one of the main themes is that I really feel like the idea of masculinity today is almost seen as a negative. The concept of what makes a man a man — like our testosterone — is now something people look down on. How dare you raise your voice, show anger, or be “macho” in any way? Obviously, there’s a fine line between being a complete jerk and being a man, but the pressure to be a certain kind of man is still very real.
It’s about how we look, how we act, our height, our weight, how much we lift — these things are blasted across social media more than ever. You see all these street interviews where women list off all these requirements for men, and it creates this constant comparison and pressure.
This book looks at one guy under that pressure — this poor guy who’s just trying to be what society tells him he should be. And it’s those societal pressures that ultimately lead to his downfall.
Yitzi: Okay, so this is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started, you must have learned a lot from your experiences. Can you share five things that you’ve learned now that you wish you knew when you first started in the entertainment industry?
Chris: Five things. Okay. Let’s see.
- First one — and this is tried and true — is that networking is important. A lot of the jobs I’ve booked over the last 10-plus years have been because of people I know. It’s harder than ever for a stranger to hire you in anything, really. I mean, someone was telling me the other day that Costco pays $35 an hour now. I said, “Damn, why don’t more people work there?” And they were like, “You can’t just get in. You’ve got to know someone.” That applies across the board. It really is about who you know.
- Second thing: never wait on anyone to do something you want to do. When I made Anabolic Life, I didn’t wait around. I could’ve kept that script sitting on my desk for years, waiting for the “right time” or the “right team,” but I didn’t. If you have an idea, if you feel that passion, do it. There’s never going to be a perfect time. If you’re mentally ready, go for it.
- Third: have a strong support group. For me, that’s my family. These are the people I can call when I’ve had a rough week or a rough moment. If you don’t have that kind of support, you’re going to feel really alone in this industry, and honestly, you’ll probably end up walking away from it. The highs and lows are too intense to go through by yourself.
- Fourth: get a job that makes you money. That doesn’t make you less of an artist. What it gives you is longevity. It allows you to pay your bills and keep going when times are slow. Be honest with your employer. Let them know, “This is what I’m trying to do. I might need to leave for an audition or a shoot.” But have a job. I’ve met a lot of people who are struggling, complaining that the industry is slow, but they refuse to work. I’ve always had a regular job. I come from a family with regular jobs. This idea that you’re somehow too good for that, yet you’re suffering — that’s not something I respect. And yeah, I might get some hate for saying that, but that’s how I feel.
- Fifth: just because someone has been doing this longer than you doesn’t mean they know more. I’ve worked with people who’ve been out here twice as long as I have, and they still have no clue what they’re doing. The industry is always changing — trends, movements, technology, even things like AI. So just because someone has more time in the game doesn’t mean they’ve figured it out. You’ve got to trust your own instincts and not rely on anyone else to validate your path.
Yitzi: Chris, because of your great work and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could put out an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Chris: I don’t know if it would reach the most people, but I want to start making Hanukkah and Jewish holiday films. As we talk about, Yitzi, being part of the tribe is more important than ever right now. There’s almost no representation of the positive sides of the Jewish community — of Hanukkah, of the culture — out there. It’s always the same themes with other holidays: love, family, gifts. The basics are the same, but we don’t get to see that through a Jewish lens nearly enough.
With everything going on, the Jewish community is being portrayed in such a negative light. It’s a very touchy subject, especially right now — in the world, but especially in Hollywood. People are getting canceled left and right for saying the wrong thing. So I’d love to make some really fun, love- and family-based Jewish holiday films — not preachy or overly religious, just celebrating the joy and tradition that comes with it.
I went to Shabbat dinner for the first time in a long time recently, and it was such a beautiful experience. No business talk, no cell phones — just tons of food, fresh bread from the bakery, wine, conversation, connection. That’s something every family, regardless of background, would benefit from. Just slowing down and being present with loved ones. It really reminded me of how special and rich Jewish culture is, and I’d love to shine more light on that.
Yitzi: Such a beautiful answer. Well, Chris, it’s so good to meet you. I wish you continued success, good health, and blessings. And I hope we can do this again next year.
Chris: Yeah. I appreciate your time. I really do, man.
From Steroids to Storytelling: Chris Levine Breaks Down the Real-Life Struggles Behind ‘Anabolic… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.