Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor Combines the Two Best Previous Incarnations

When formulating his take on Lex Luthor, Nicholas Hoult had plenty of past performances to reference, and he leaned most heavily on the two best versions of the character we’ve seen on screen. Hoult spoke to Empire Magazine about Superman this month, explaining that his key inspirations were Gene Hackman and Michael Rosenbaum. Hackman played Luthor in Richard Donner’s Superman movies back in the 1970s and 80s, while Rosenbaum played a younger version of the villain on Smallville. These are two of the most beloved performances for the character, and for Hoult, the most memorable. Once he landed the role himself, he naturally leaned on their expertise.

“Gene’s one of my all-time faves, just as an actor in general. I went back and watched Gene,” Hoult explained. “And Michael Rosenbaum, who was the first Lex I saw, growing up watching Smallville [on TV]. It’s interesting when you play a character that’s been played before — you’re working from a different script, but it’s fun to draw inspiration from all of those places.”

While Hackman and Rosenbaum played the same fictional characters, these are vastly different performances in completely different contexts. That may be a good thing for Hoult, helping him to capture the breadth of this villain through his inspiration. It’s also a hint about the tone of the new Superman movie, in some ways.

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Hackman was already a Hollywood legend when he took the role as Luthor in Superman: The Movie in 1978. At the time, he was praised for grounding the comic book supervillain — staying true to his motivations without succumbing to over-the-top antics. This was a major concern to movie critics at the time, though it’s harder to pinpoint how comic book fans themselves felt about it. Hackman reprised the role in Superman II and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

Rosenbaum, on the other hand, was still relatively new on the scene when he landed the role of Lex Luthor on Smallville. The TV series gave him much more screentime than any other live-action Luthor has gotten, and he was a major fan-favorite for the show’s entire run. The format allowed for a slow evolution of this character, which is really what allowed Rosenbaum’s performance to stand out from others. The set-up of his friendship with Clark and its gradual crumble was also compelling for viewers. Rosenbaum won a Saturn Award for his performance.

Hoult may have a similar chance at longevity in this role, depending on how the DC Universe evolves. The new franchise hits the big screen for the first time on July 11th with Superman.