Julian Dennison has been in the film business for half of his young life. The actor became a household name in 2016, when he starred in Taika Waititi film Hunt for the Wilderpeople. He was aged just 13 at the time.

In the five years that followed, he went from Lower Hutt local to Hollywood regular, starring alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 2, Kurt Russell in the sequel to Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles and Millie Bobby Brown in Godzilla vs Kong.

In an interview with Dave Letele and Nats Levi on Today FM on Sunday, Dennison opened up about the beginnings of his fitness journey with Letele’s Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM) programme, that’s seen him take his first steps towards a healthier life.

Just a few months into regular training and dieting, he can now do straight-arm burpees, push-ups, and fit into shirts that used to be too small.

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Dennison talked about how his drive to get fit was the ability he’d lost to get out and do things with friends, and how the Hollywood lifestyle was hurting his physical and mental health.

“From a young age, I grew up in a family that didn’t have a lot. My parents worked hard for us to have what we had,” he said.

“As a young brown boy, I felt like I need to work, work, work. Then I celebrate, and that’s around food, around the dinner table with family.”

Self-image around weight and health weren’t always issues Dennison said, but the impact of his size eventually caught up with how he was feeling.

Letele – who on Thursday was announced as the Local Hero New Zealander of the Year – trains hundreds of people at pre-dawn bootcamps around Auckland, including two community gyms.

In 2014, the retired professional boxer and former gang member weighed 210kgs. He lost just under half of that weight, and loves to help others to take a holistic approach to their wellbeing.

Dennison’s agent reached out a few months ago.

“It wasn’t until I started doing well, getting some income, then I indulged in myself because I grew up not having a lot. I felt like I really deserved that, to take it easy, and live in what I’d got and earned,” Dennison said.

“I never felt like my health affected anyone else. Until it began affecting the people around me.” Dennison lost the motivation to spend as much time with his friends, and to do the things he loved.

He admits “the training is hard.” And “assault bikes should never have been invented”.

“But if I can work out at 7am in the morning, anyone can do it.”

He tracks his progress with clothing, because getting on the scales can be discouraging on a bad day. At the beginning, Dennison bought a number of too small shirts, so he could fit into them later on.

“You don’t have to always be losing weight,” he said. “You can be moving better, eating better.”

He allows himself one meal that he really enjoys each week, and when he slips up, he tries not to be too hard on himself.

“I make sure the next meal’s not a bad meal and keep going.”

Some of his mates even come along to training.

“You’re sweating, you want a die, you throw up. There’s no shame. We’ve all seen each other at our worst, and that’s throwing up after a workout.”

But he’s determined to take better care of himself.

“Everyone has a legacy. What I can do is make sure I’m in the best shape I can be for that. I want to be able to there for my kids, when I have them.

“For anyone out there wanting to start their journey, just start. Whether it’s going for a walk, or not eating crappy food.”

Dave Letele and Nats Levi host The Butterbean Radio Show on Today FM Sundays, 12-2pm.