Ask a diehard Superman fan who their favourite TV model of the character is and there is a good probability their reply might be somebody who by no means even wore the long-lasting purple cape: Tom Welling, who performed Clark Kent for 10 years on “Smallville.”
This coming-of-age sequence explored the long-lasting character’s youth, rising up within the titular rural city. Debuting in 2001, earlier than the fashionable wave of superhero media had began to dominate screens, “Smallville” was a breath of recent air for the style, for tv extra broadly, and for the character basically.
The success of “Smallville” helped launch a number of extra superhero TV sequence, probably the most notable being “Arrow” and the interconnected universe of spin-offs it spawned. There have been additionally sequence like “Gotham,” “Krypton” and “Pennyworth” that tried to copy the prequel format, avoiding that includes the superhero who impressed the sequence. When “Smallville” was first being pitched although, the thought was nonetheless novel, leaving sequence star Welling not sure about precisely what he could be signing up for if he have been to tackle the Superman sequence.
Understandably, previous to the fervor that now surrounds comedian ebook properties, Welling had just a few reservations about enjoying Superman on tv. Some of the stunning causes for this doubt, nonetheless, was that his supervisor had suggested him the sequence in all probability wasn’t in excellent form, based mostly on the very fact no script had been shared with actors who deliberate to audition. Whereas super-secrecy is commonplace on superhero initiatives right this moment, within the early 2000s, it was a purple flag.
Tom Welling wasn’t certain about Superman, however was bought on Clark Kent
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2021 about his introduction to the world of “Smallville,” Welling touched upon his preliminary reservations, stemming from each the shortage of a script and his uncertainty a few Superman sequence. “I used to be auditioning loads throughout that interval of pilot season, going out three, 4 instances a day. Simply making an attempt to determine what the hell I used to be doing,” Welling stated of the interval resulting in his Clark Kent audition. “This present ‘Smallville’ got here alongside, and so they weren’t releasing the script. They simply wished me to audition. My supervisor on the time says, ‘That both means they do not have a script, or it isn’t excellent.’ We turned it down.”
Fortunately for “Smallville” followers, the sequence’ director, David Nutter, was persistent in his efforts to see Welling for the position. “He stated I may are available in and skim the pilot script if I signed an NDA,” Welling revealed, earlier than occurring to elucidate that studying that script alleviated one other of his considerations across the sequence. “I spotted the present was not about Superman. It was a few child in highschool rising up and making an attempt to determine who he’s. That is a really human journey.”
Welling admitted, “I used to be terrified I used to be going to stroll right into a present the place I am working round in tights,” so he known as a gathering with the producers of “Smallville” to raised perceive the present. The remaining, as they are saying, is historical past.
Tom Welling stayed true to Smallville’s no tights, no flights rule
Any fears Welling might have had about enjoying a extra typical tackle Superman have been absolutely allayed by the “no tights, no flights” rule instituted by “Smallville” creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. This mandate prohibited Clark from flying or donning the Superman costume on the sequence. There have been some near-exceptions to this rule, with just a few episodes exhibiting Clark regularly gaining his skill to fly, albeit with out his totally mastering the ability till the sequence finale. The Superman go well with was seen on “Smallville,” however Clark was by no means clearly proven sporting it in full. Finally, Welling was capable of deal with enjoying a extra grounded Clark Kent, slightly than the Man of Metal.
Welling stayed true to this precept even after “Smallville” concluded. The actor was invited to reprise the position of Clark Kent within the “Arrowverse,” for the crossover occasion “Disaster on Infinite Earths.” Whereas Welling agreed to return, he didn’t placed on the tights and has stated he wouldn’t have returned had he been requested to painting Superman. As an alternative, the crossover particular featured Welling in a cameo as an older Clark who had given up his powers to lift a household. This introduced the story of “Smallville’s” Clark Kent to a becoming conclusion, as he and Lois settled on his household’s outdated Smallville farm to comply with the instance set by his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent.
