Who Will Play Superman On Supergirl?

Superman is officially coming to Supergirl, and not just a blur, or a backlit background character. He’ll be cast soon, and will appear – face and all – on at least the first two episodes of Supergirl season two, now on The CW. So naturally, fans are asking “Who will play Superman on Supergirl?”

It’s a daunting task, casting Superman – they need an actor that can carry that gravitas, especially since he’s already been “built up” on the series through his tertiary interactions with Kara. He needs to compliment, but not overpower Melissa Benoist and her screen presence. He needs to be memorable, but not take over the show; when he leaves, it’ll still be called “Supergirl” after all.

While actor Tom Welling, who played the young Clark Kent on Smallville is certainly in the mix, especially in fans’ eyes, we’re taking a look at five other actors who we think could suit up in the S for The CW’s next take on the Man of Steel.

Joe Manganiello

The oldest suggestion on this list at 39 years of age, Joe Manganiello seems a perennial favorite suggestion for the role of Superman. He was a reported finalist for Man of Steel, in fact, but was forced to pull out due to his series regular role on True Blood. The Pittsburgh actor’s imposing frame was seen often on that show, as well as in the two Magic Mike films. His signature grin and bulk (seriously, this guy’s already a a man of steel) certainly give him the look, though the actor seems to have moved mostly into film at this point. Still, the chance to play Superman would probably be tough to pass up.

Matt Bomer

This 38 year-old actor is another almost-Superman, and another Magic Mike alum – look, that movie had a lot of very good looking and bulky men. The star of Chuck and White Collar, Matt Bomer has played Superman before – at least his voice. He voiced the character of Superman/Clark Kent in the animated film Superman: Unbound in 2013. He was also nearly cast as Superman back in 2003, when what was eventually Superman Returns was in the hands of Brett Ratner. He screen-tested, but it wound up moving to Bryan Singer as director and Brandon Routh as the star. His charm is undeniable, and the highest level of our five candidates. If you can win a job on a smile alone, then Bomer’s got it.

Brandon Routh

Bear with me, here. Yes, Brandon Routh has already played Superman, in Superman Returns. His earnestness matches his strength of character, and his look. Now, there is a slight issue here: Brandon Routh is already in the DC TV universe, having been on both The Flash and a star on Legends of Tomorrow as Ray Palmer, the Atom. However, with the beauty of alternate realities, they’ve already solved that exact problem. After all, in The Flash one man has been both Jay “The Flash Garrick” and Barry Allen’s father Henry. Now, this isn’t the exact situation, since we’re talking about two characters who couldn’t possibly be the same person – one is an alien. Still, a little creative writing, a hilarious encounter between Routh as Palmer and Routh as Superman, and you’ve got gold. Routh was always a better Superman than he was given credit for.

Brett Dalton

Know any square-jawed, charming, talented young actors looking for a gig right now? After Grant Ward, and even his Inhuman possessing alterego Hive met their demise on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Brett Dalton is no doubt looking for his next major gig. The youngest on our list having just turned 33, Dalton would be closer in age to Melissa Benoist, which could create an interesting dynamic. The idea of Superman only being a few years older than Supergirl, but still having a decade plus of experience over her makes things even more compelling. After several years of seeing him play the duplicitous Ward, it’d be nice to see Dalton take on a pure, joyful, and good Superman (he would have to remember how to smile on camera, though).

Curtis Jonathan “Fandango” Hussey

An unconventional choice? Sure, but it’ll make sense in a moment. The CW is no stranger to hiring WWE Superstars. Edge and The Miz both come to mind, having both made guest appearances on the network (in The Flash and Supernatural, respectively) this year alone. At 6’4″, 244 lb, and 34 years of age, Curtis Jonathan Hussey aka Fandango (aka Johnny Curtis, for that matter) has the look down-pat. His age, relatively close to Benoist, gives him the same edge Dalton has. His physique is the only one on this list that can match Manganiello. His entire WWE persona is built around charm, giving him Bomer’s biggest strength. Now, he hasn’t ever displayed a character with the earnestness that Routh can possess, but given how strongly he’s sold a ballroom dancing character for almost four years, it’s a fair bet he could pull it off if he tried.

With all of those, and a very Superman look to him (just shave his face and style the hair a bit, it’s pretty easy to imagine), Hussey also has the relative unknown status that tends to thrive in roles like these. His WWE characters aside, he doesn’t have anything else that fans would instantly judge him by, making him a clean slate to work with the proven talent finders like the producers of the DC TV Universe in shaping a Superman that can stand tall next to their other heroes. Being a relative unknown also reduces the chance of him overpowering and overshadowing Melissa Benoist, and making it easier for her to carry on the show after his appearance.

There’s an added bonus: Hussey could ditch the Fandango character at WWE after this, and instead adopt some variation of Superman. It would be fantastic cross promotion for both brands, and certainly something from which they’d both benefit.