Smallville Tom Welling - Clark Kent/Superman : The Man Behind The Cape

[BH/HHH]

I think the way they did it was fine. I only ever needed a shirt rip at the end.

Of course I'd have loved more but I actually think Tom had a point about what the show was. Although I do think his reasoning was more that he didn't want to put the suit on. It makes me wonder if the suit he was handed by Jonathan (which wasn't the suit that was in the Crystal case as that was the Superman Returns suit) was intended to he his suit it if it was just a prop.

 

[_Superman_]

That is BS for him to say he feels like they didn't earn the right to put on the suit in the first act. Yet they earned the right for him to have Supergirl, meet GA, form the Justice League, meet Lois, meet Perry, fight Doomsday and Zod and have the FOS and get engaged to Lois and almost marry her. So I call BS he could've put on the suit and just didn't want to and that's his right but just say I didn't want to wear the suit and leave it at that.

 

[misslane38]

That is BS for him to say he feels like they didn't earn the right to put on the suit in the first act. Yet they earned the right for him to have Supergirl, meet GA, form the Justice League, meet Lois, meet Perry, fight Doomsday and Zod and have the FOS and get engaged to Lois and almost marry her.

Meeting other heroes, fighting villains, having a FOS, and marrying Lois have nothing to do with whether or not this particular Clark Kent was ready to become the version of Superman he was destined to become. For this Clark, all of the things you listed could work alongside being The Blur, who was a hero but a hero in the shadows. Smallville told the story of how Clark Kent becomes more than that sort of hero, and the show hadn't earned that based on its own narrative until Clark overcame all of his doubts and had proven himself worthy of finishing his final trial: defeating Darkseid.

So I call BS he could've put on the suit and just didn't want to and that's his right but just say I didn't want to wear the suit and leave it at that.

I love how you think you get to decide what truth is depending on what suits your preferred point of view.

 

[misslane38]

Not surprised there. Of course he had a say about the suit as he was one of the producers in the show's final 3 seasons. The original version sounds more interesting than the one onscreen.

It really doesn't sound interesting to me at all. It doesn't even sound remotely consistent with the narrative leading up to the finale. "Prophecy" would not have organically led to that sort of opening sequence in "Finale." Plus, let's be honest here, we did see Clark save Lois in an airplane while he was wearing the Superman suit. Does the fact that the suit was CGI somehow render the sequence as white noise?

Smallville may not killed his career, but not wearing the suit almost did.

This is such specious speculation. There is no evidence to support this conclusion.

 

[Lencho01]

What he said doesn't seem any different from what he's said before. Just confirms being a producer allowed him enough power to say he didn't want to wear the suit. He really could have simply said he didn't want to instead of giving some long weird answer.

 

[misslane38]

What he said doesn't seem any different from what he's said before. Just confirms being a producer allowed him enough power to say he didn't want to wear the suit. He really could have simply said he didn't want to instead of giving some long weird answer.

But his long answer is the answer. Why is there this insistence Welling must be obfuscating with his comments? Is it truly impossible to accept his reasons for not wanting to wear the suit were creative rather than personal?

 

[Lencho01]

But his long answer is the answer. Why is there this insistence Welling must be obfuscating with his comments? Is it truly impossible to accept his reasons for not wanting to wear the suit were creative rather than personal?

Yes, because his answer was/is weak given all the stuff they had on the show that they "didn't earn".

 

[vantheman77]

This is such specious speculation. There is no evidence to support this conclusion.

Up until Lucifer he hasn't done much since Smallville ended.

 

[misslane38]

Up until Lucifer he hasn't done much since Smallville ended.

So? You don't know if that was by choice. Tom was never really an ambitious thespian, and he had personal issues like a divorce to deal with. To assume his career was wounded is fallacious due to the above reasons and the fact that it's not as if other Clark Kent actors or CW actors flourished once their shows ended. In short, there's more bias than logic in your conclusion.

 

[misslane38]

Yes, because his answer was/is weak given all the stuff they had on the show that they "didn't earn".

Your subjective feelings about what was and was not earned has zero bearing on Welling's subjective feelings about the show. He would likely disagree with you on what the show earned, so you can't litigate whether or not he's speaking his truth even if it isn't your truth.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Up until Lucifer he hasn't done much since Smallville ended.

and if you know Tom, or at least stay in touch with what he was doing via social media etc., you'd know the guy went through a prolonged, horrible divorce and was really more focused on producing than acting the last 5+ years.

I think this whole thing isn't really anything new BTW outside of the part with him meeting Berlanti to possibly be the Supes in the Arrowverse. I mean we knew there were reasons for him never donning the suit, some of them budgetary and others creative. He was a full fledged producer those last few seasons so obviously he had a voice in going the route they chose.

 

[STARMAN]

His career would not be any better off if he wore the suit.

The first couple of seasons he filmed a project during the Smallville hiatus but stopped after The Fog remake. It seemed his focus shifted to producing while taking small projects and some downtown after Smallville. Section 13 was a project he produced for CBS but it was not picked up.

I'm not surprised he was approached for Supergirl, although I expected it to be stunt casting for a non-high profile role rather than possibly Superman.

 

[Lencho01]

Your subjective feelings about what was and was not earned has zero bearing on Welling's subjective feelings about the show. He would likely disagree with you on what the show earned, so you can't litigate whether or not he's speaking his truth even if it isn't your truth.

A show about Superman before he's Superman and lasted much longer than it needed and included many Superman-related things "didn't earn" the right to show the dude dressed as Superman? Ook.

 

[vantheman77]

So? You don't know if that was by choice. Tom was never really an ambitious thespian, and he had personal issues like a divorce to deal with. To assume his career was wounded is fallacious due to the above reasons and the fact that it's not as if other Clark Kent actors or CW actors flourished once their shows ended. In short, there's more bias than logic in your conclusion.

I'm well aware of his divorce. That's separate from his acting career.

Whether it was his choice or not, I go by how his career went after Smallville.

 

[misslane38]

A show about Superman before he's Superman and lasted much longer than it needed and included many Superman-related things "didn't earn" the right to show the dude dressed as Superman? Ook.

Your opinion, once again, has zero relevance to the veracity of Welling's take on the creative reason to now show Clark in the full suit. I get it. You disagree with his creative reasons, but that doesn't mean you get to call him a liar.

I'm well aware of his divorce. That's separate from his acting career.

Whether it was his choice or not, I go by how his career went after Smallville.

One's personal life affects one's career. The two things are not always as separate as one would like, you know? If you go by each Superman's career as an actor, then you'd know that every one of them struggled post-role. You can't "go by" Welling's post-show career as any indicator of the effect not wearing the suit had on his professional prospects. It's fallacious reasoning and reeks of spitefulness rather than wisdom.

 

[Lencho01]

Your opinion, once again, has zero relevance to the veracity of Welling's take on the creative reason to now show Clark in the full suit. I get it. You disagree with his creative reasons, but that doesn't mean you get to call him a liar.

I know it's my opinion. This is a message forum, a place where people always share their opinions.

I can call him a liar all I want. Better than calling him dumb, delusional, etc. based on the answer he's given for years. Same goes for the other producers.

 

[vantheman77]

One's personal life affects one's career. The two things are not always as separate as one would like, you know? If you go by each Superman's career as an actor, then you'd know that every one of them struggled post-role. You can't "go by" Welling's post-show career as any indicator of the effect not wearing the suit had on his professional prospects. It's fallacious reasoning and reeks of spitefulness rather than wisdom.

If he had a great post-show career, I might have agreed with you but it's not the case.

Dean Cain and Brandon Routh would probably differ with that with Ripley's Believe It Or Not and Arrow/ Legends of Tomorrow.

 

[BH/HHH]

As someone said though he didn't want a career in acting as a star post Smallville. He became a producer and he's continued to do that. It's clear the guy made his money on Smallville and he's always been a private guy who doesn't really enjoy the limelight so I don't get what anyone's expecting of him.

Wearing the suit wouldn't have made any difference to his career post Smallville. He was the star of the show regardless and as he said via the Supergirl role he turned down been on that. So I think it's clear he's wanted to do something different and maybe taking his time out (he got divorced) and doing the odd part was enough for him.

 

[misslane38]

I can call him a liar all I want.

Sure, but without proof, it just makes you seem juvenile, petty, and entitled.

If he had a great post-show career, I might have agreed with you but it's not the case.

Agree with what? Welling made no mention at any time of a strong desire to build a big time acting career. He's always been reserved and often explored other aspects of the entertainment industry as avenues for his creative interests.

Dean Cain and Brandon Routh would probably differ with that with Ripley's Believe It Or Not and Arrow/ Legends of Tomorrow.

Cain's post-show career is laughable. Routh is a regular on a DC show, and so is Welling now that he's on Lucifer. None of these guys are riding high.

 

[Lencho01]

Sure, but without proof, it just makes you seem juvenile, petty, and entitled.

No, it doesn't. But, if that's what you think, whatever.

 

[herolee10]

Yeah I'm going to have to side with the group that doesn't buy Tom's reasoning for why we never saw him in the suit.

If Smallville had selected Brandon Routh for the role (who had auditioned for the part back in 2000), I guarantee you that we would have seen a fully suited Superman by the end of the show. Heck, if I'm not mistaken, even the final shot of the series (where Clark does the classic shirt rip) was just Tom wearing a blue shirt and the production company having to digitally insert the S Logo onto his chest.

It's no secret that Tom did not want to wear the suit in any way. Heck, even his so called "blur" outfits where he wore a black trench coat and (later) a red leather jacket were designed in a way where the S Logo on them wasn't that refined and barely noticeable at times.

By the time we got to Season 10, Clark was pretty much Superman...minus the actual costume and his ability to fly, so it makes no sense to say that him wearing the actual suit would go against what the show was presenting. Furthermore, after following the show for 10 years...I think the fans pretty much earned it to see Clark fully suited up and not cheated with several CGI models (bad ones I might add).

If Tom was dead set on never wearing the costume, then they shouldn't have jerked around with fans and their expectations, let alone present the actual suit and tease it all throughout the final season.

 

[BH/HHH]

Herolee

 

[vantheman77]

Yeah I'm going to have to side with the group that doesn't buy Tom's reasoning for why we never saw him in the suit.

If Smallville had selected Brandon Routh for the role (who had auditioned for the part back in 2000), I guarantee you that we would have seen a fully suited Superman by the end of the show. Heck, if I'm not mistaken, even the final shot of the series (where Clark does the classic shirt rip) was just Tom wearing a blue shirt and the production company having to digitally insert the S Logo onto his chest.

It's no secret that Tom did not want to wear the suit in any way. Heck, even his so called "blur" outfits where he wore a black trench coat and (later) a red leather jacket were designed in a way where the S Logo on them wasn't that refined and barely noticeable at times.

By the time we got to Season 10, Clark was pretty much Superman...minus the actual costume and his ability to fly, so it makes no sense to say that him wearing the actual suit would go against what the show was presenting. Furthermore, after following the show for 10 years...I think the fans pretty much earned it to see Clark fully suited up and not cheated with several CGI models (bad ones I might add).

If Tom was dead set on never wearing the costume, then they shouldn't have jerked around with fans and their expectations, let alone present the actual suit and tease it all throughout the final season.

This right here. I sure didn't buy TW's reasoning at all. We didn't spend 10 years invested into show just so we can see Superman as CGI, close-ups, and a shirt rip which we already had when he wore the black suit.

As for Smallville now, I have no desire to rewatch it again after the finale.

Oh and Misslane, I guess being a series regular on TV isn't riding high, right?

 

[misslane38]

Oh and Misslane, I guess being a series regular on TV isn't riding high, right?

I don't get your point. At present, three Superman actors (two that wore the suit, one that didn't) are series regulars on DCTV shows. Brandon Routh (a former film Superman) and Dean Cain are on the CW while Tom is on FOX. None are riding high. Even Reeve's career wasn't stellar, and George Reeves killed himself, he was so demoralized. Wearing the suit means nothing when it comes to career prospects.

 

[herolee10]

I think Henry Cavill has been the most successful actor outside of his role as Superman thus far.

I mean if the guy was worried about being typecast as Superman, then why be on a show for 10 years as a character that is very popular among millions across the globe? Even though he didn't wear the suit, he still played the role.