Superman legend Christopher Reeve had a huge impact when he guest starred onSmallville, according toDCstar Tom Welling. Since 1978, Reeve has become instrumental in howSupermanlive-action moviesand TV shows explore Krypton’s last son, and that includes theSmallvilleseries. InSmallvilleseason 2, episode 17, “Rosetta,” Reeve made history by becoming the first former Superman actor to appear in The WB drama, playing original character Dr. Virgil Swann, who would help Clark Kent discover his Kryptonian heritage.
At this year’s Comic Con Stockholm, whichScreen Rantattended,Welling revealed more about his time working with Reeve during the late actor’s firstSmallvilleepisode, “Rosetta.“During his panel, Welling explained not only how he learned about Reeve coming on the show, but how theSupermanstar worked more than he was supposed to, sharing the following:
I knew like three days before. You only get a script every 10 days, and then by the time you get the script, you’re shooting it three days later. And I remember it was Greg, again, same guy, and he comes to set, and he goes, ‘So, what are you doing this weekend?’ and I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ And I was like, ‘Great. I [gotta] do a photo shoot,’ Like,He [goes,] ‘I think on Friday, we’re gonna film in the morning, we’re gonna get on a plane, we’re gonna fly to New York and shoot Saturday and Sunday in New York.’ And I was like, ‘Why? I don’t want to go to!’ [Greg says] ‘Well, we got Chris, and we have [him] for three hours on Saturday,’ and then I was like, ‘Okay…that’s a good idea.’
We flew out, and next day we shot - Chris was only supposed to be there for three hours, and I think he stayed six or seven until his nurse, who had like Power of Attorney over him, physically, I remember her saying - becausehe didn’t want to leave, he wanted to stay, to do the scenes with me, because we originally were just going to film his side, and then he was going to leave, and then I was going to work with somebody else and film my side, but he wanted to stay - ‘If you don’t come with me, I’m going to call the police and I’m going to have you taken out of here.’ And he looked at me, and he goes, ‘They always tell me what to do,’ and he just started laughing. He did end up having to leave, but he really wanted to be there. We had a lot of fun.
What Tom Welling’s Christopher Reeve Story Means For Smallville & Superman’s Legacy
WhileSmallvillewas at its core an origin story for Clark,the DC TV series was also clear in wanting to have a different take on how Kal-El would discover his destiny before becoming Earth’s ultimate protector. To create anoriginal character forSmallvillelike Dr. Swann but to have Reeve be the one to portray him showed just how much care the creative team had in wanting to make sure a crucial character was played by someone who is no stranger to the Superman mythology. What is also incredibly admirable about Welling’s story is how involved Reeve wanted to be for his first episode.
This is also one of the many ways that Reeve showed his care forSmallvilleand the opportunity to play an instrumental part in the series.Welling revealed how Reeve wanted him to be Supermanon the big screen all the way back in the 2000s, which in the end went to Brandon Routh forSuperman Returns. Since Reeve returned forSmallvilleseason 3, episode 17, “Legacy,” which would end up being his final episode before his passing in 2004,both of his appearances will always stand out as some of the best installments of the series.
Our Take On Tom Welling’s Christopher Reeve On Smallville Story
From all the bigSuperman cameos onSmallville,Reeve’s appearances will always stand out as perhaps the most special, given how he came to define the hero’s live-action legacy. To hear that Reeve was so passionate that he would refuse to leave the set despite the condition he was in serves as a reminder of what a true, real-life Superman he was, hence why the world has such a huge love for him. Despite Reeve’s tragic passing, his Superman legacy, including his role inSmallville, will never be forgotten and will only continue to be cherished for decades to come.
Smallville
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Smallville chronicles the journey of Clark Kent, portraying his origins from Krypton to his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as the iconic hero, Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas.
