Jonah Hill Says His Years of Jiu-Jitsu Training Have Him Ready to Take on Anyone Stuck in 2007 Still

Jonah Hill has made clear he has little patience left for people who still see him as the awkward teenage version of himself from "Superbad," pointing to years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training as evidence he is done being defined by a role from nearly two decades ago.

The comments came during a taping of the "SmartLess" podcast, recorded earlier this year in Los Angeles, where Hill appeared alongside hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. Clips from the episode resurfaced widely online this week, reigniting conversation around Hill's remarks about his physical transformation and his frustration with how audiences continue to perceive him nearly 20 years after "Superbad" made him and co-star Michael Cera household names.

Speaking on the podcast, Hill said he had grown tired of being reduced to the character of Seth from the 2007 comedy, telling the hosts he would "f--- annihilate" anyone who continued to see him that way, and that he was not exaggerating. The comment drew immediate laughter from Bateman, Arnett and Hayes, though Hill did not walk back the remark, instead doubling down on the sentiment.

Hill's confidence traces directly to his years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training, a pursuit he first took up in late 2018 at age 35. He began training at Clockwork Jiu-Jitsu in New York City, where he reportedly trained four to five sessions per week to build his skills in the discipline. According to other reporting on his fitness journey, Hill has also trained under Josh Griffiths, a third-degree black belt who has competed at Abu Dhabi World Pro events and worked alongside top UFC fighters.

Before delivering his more pointed warning to critics, Hill leaned into the humor of the moment, joking that his body had begged him not to fall so deeply in love with the sport, and that his wife regularly reminds him he is a comedian rather than a professional fighter. When Bateman jokingly suggested the two of them settle things physically, Hill claimed without hesitation that he could take on all three podcast hosts simultaneously, further building the bit before pivoting to his more serious message about the lingering "Superbad" comparisons.

This is not the first time Hill has spoken candidly about how public perception of his body has affected him over the years. He has previously discussed how comments about his weight impacted him significantly during his rise to fame in his late teens and early 20s, and has been open in past interviews about how those experiences shaped both his relationship with exercise and his broader sense of self-image throughout his career.

Now settled in San Diego with his wife and their two young sons, Hill appears to occupy a markedly different place in his life than the young actor first introduced to audiences through "Superbad" in 2007. His jiu-jitsu practice appears to function as more than a simple physical outlet, instead serving as a genuine source of personal confidence that stands in direct contrast to how strangers online continue to characterize him nearly two decades later.

Hill's frustration with being permanently associated with a single early role reflects a broader pattern common among performers whose breakout parts came relatively early in their careers, particularly in comedic roles that lean on physical characteristics for humor. "Superbad," directed by Greg Mottola and produced by Judd Apatow, became a defining touchstone of mid-2000s teen comedy, launching both Hill and Cera into leading roles across film and television in the years that followed.

Since "Superbad," Hill has built a considerably more varied career, earning two Academy Award nominations for best supporting actor, for "Moneyball" in 2012 and "The Wolf of Wall Street" in 2014, while also moving behind the camera as a writer and director with projects including the documentary "Stutz" and the film "Mid90s." That range stands in contrast to the persistent public shorthand that continues to reduce him to his breakout comedic role from nearly 20 years ago.

Whether anyone actually takes Hill up on his tongue-in-cheek challenge remains to be seen, but the resurfaced clip has clearly struck a chord with fans and commentators reacting online this week. The moment underscores how even beloved, culturally resonant comedic performances can leave behind lasting assumptions about an actor that don't always keep pace with how much that person's career, and life, has evolved in the years since.