Smallville's Lex Luthor On Why He Left The Show

Actor Michael Rosenbaum is intrinsically linked to the DC Universe as both a hero and villain, but while there are those who love him as The Flash (Cartoon Network's Justice League), he will always be more known for his time as Lex Luthor in Smallville.

Rosenbaum played the cunning adversary to Tom Welling's Clark Kent for seven seasons and has since hit his stride as part of TV Land's Impastor series, which is entering its second season. In an interview with Empire Online, Rosenbaum details just why he ended up leaving the show.

"I remember sitting with Peter Roth, the president of Warner Brothers ... I've never really told this story. Everybody has an ego and I think everybody likes to get their way. Peter took me to dinner, because he tried to get me to do two more seasons of Smallville. I was very polite and respectful. I said, "Peter, my grandma thinks I'm funny and I've always wanted to do comedy, and I started out in comedy, and I was doing tons of comedy, and then I was catapulted into this role that I love and it's been great, but I was contracted for six years to play Lex Luthor, I did seven, and I'm just ready to move on and I'm just ready to take a new step."

While Smallville had its moments of levity, it would never be confused for a comedy. Roth made his last push for the actor to return, comparing him to another departing star from a hit series.

"He looked at me and says, "You know, Julianna Margulies, she turned down millions of dollars to stay with ER and look where she is now." It wasn't two or three years later where she just made a fortune with The Good Wife and all of that, and her career just took off. I said, "I'm going to bank on my talent. I'm just going to take a chance on me. I think I've done this long enough, I did this character for seven years and I just don't feel like shaving my head for two more years." I came back for the finale, but at the time I just wanted to take a chance."

Rosenbaum did return to film the Smallville finale, much to fans delight, and still loves what he did on the show. Smallville ended up running for 10 seasons, and an entire new generation of fans have a chance to see what they missed courtesy of the show's recent deal with HULU.