In a
Parade exclusive,
Henry Cavill &
Amy Adams—Superman and Lois Lane in the new movie
Batman v Superman (March 20)—talk about love, trust, complicated relationships and why this dynamic duo has endured for nearly 80 years.
By Amy Adams as told to Amy Spencer.
When I was growing up I used to play Lois and Clark with my Barbie dolls. I loved Lois Lane with Christopher Reeve, and I played out stories for them. I had a big crush on Superman. I used to take tin foil and make the ice from Superman II when he gave up his powers for Lois so he could be a mortal man and be with her.
Lois Lane was so outside of the world that I lived in. This idea of living in a metropolis and being an independent woman putting herself in peril for the truth was kind of awesome. Lois was groundbreaking. Today a female reporter isn’t a big deal; we don’t even think twice about a woman on the ground in Baghdad or in Syria. And hopefully we’ll keep moving forward. (Now we just need to get her paid the same as her male counterparts!)
Henry Cavill Says ‘Superman Has an Incredible Heart’
Ultimately, the most powerful thing about Superman and Lois is trust. He trusts her because she gives him a place to be vulnerable. And she trusts him with her life. As a journalist, she wants to believe in hope and integrity, yet she’s become jaded; learning to take somebody at their word is new for her. Superman represents hope and integrity, so he has reacquainted her with this optimistic side of herself. Lois’ job isn’t just about getting attention or awards. It really is about the pursuit of truth.
I think Lois balances Superman. He’d still be as strong without her physically, but emotionally Lois is a superwoman in her own way. It’s not always about having strength or speed or powers of invisibility. Physically, no one is Superman’s equal—but being equal doesn’t mean we have the same strengths. It’s like with my husband and me: His strengths lie in one place, and my strengths lie in another, and when we bring them together it makes us stronger. So it really humanizes Superman to put him in a relationship with a strong woman where he can show a weakness that feels very human. It makes him mortal in a way.
I also love how willing Lois is to put her fears aside. She assesses the risks and says, “This is probably a bad idea, but you know what? I am going to do it anyway.” This is something I try to teach my daughter: It’s not about being fearless; it’s about overcoming your fears and trying anyway. And as more women head out into what are more traditionally seen as male roles, I think it’s important to have a place where you can surrender to whatever your version of femininity is. I know that’s something I’ve worked on, to have that balance of being strong but also allowing myself to be soft. For me, I feel more secure if I know I have a place to be taken care of emotionally, a place to be myself.
Sure, the stakes are a bit higher in Superman and Lois’ relationship because they’re dealing with someone going after world domination. But they have similar problems as other couples when it comes to core issues.
In Batman v Superman their issues are very much about communication—being able to talk to the other person and trusting that what they say is taken at face value. It’s like with my husband, I’d be like, “Are you going to be here when I’m 80?” And you have to trust that when they say yes they mean it. That’s hard for any couple.
I think together they probably make a very nice home. I think he’s the better cook. She travels a lot for work, so something tells me she eats really weird room service. Superman is always on the move, going from place to place, so he has learned to take care of himself. But they’re the kind of couple who aren’t that exciting. They probably just chill out at home. I think Lois likes watching news and tries to rope him into watching The Bachelor. But Superman’s not interested—he’s too busy making dinner. And I imagine he gives her foot rubs.
Going forward, I hope Lois and Superman’s story continues to be told, whatever that is. And a vacation would be nice. I don’t imagine they’re going to make a movie called Lois and Supes on Vacation, where they go to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. But they need some nice light time, just the two of them. No reporting, no world in peril—just a nice cabana!
Lily Adler#forthecontent! 📹 (she/her)
Kindly Couple: Pruitt Taylor Vince & Neva Howell ARE Jonathan & Martha Kent (5 Viewers)
X-Men ‘97 X-Men ‘97 News and Discussion Thread (TAG SPOILERS!!!!) (10 Viewers)
