Talking with DCComics.com, Tyler Hoechlin discusses what it’s like playing Superman in his own TV series, what he’s learned about the character, why Lois Lane is important, and so much more. Here’s an excerpt from the interview…
You’ve been playing the Man of Steel for a few years, but until now, it’s only been in guest spots on other shows. Have you learned new things about the character and role now that you have your own show?
I think it’s an evolution in who this character is. You see him at such a different point in life than we’ve ever seen him before. In those other shows, he was really in his element. He’s Superman, doing what he’s been doing for a while and he’s very good at it. His obligation then was to himself and to others, and that was kind of it. Now we find him married with two kids. His decisions don’t just affect him anymore—they affect his wife and children and their well-being. There’s a lot more pressure on him. Secrecy is even that much more important now. It’s been nice to jump into something that feels familiar, and yet at the same time entirely new and different. It’s a nice way to kick things off when you’re starting a new show.
What do you feel Lois Lane represents to Superman? Is he Superman without her?
Is he Superman without her? There are things about him that I’ve always found are kind of unchangeable. They are the core of who he is. It’s how he was brought up. It’s what his parents raised him to be. It’s how he sees the world. It’s the hopes that he has that are unflinching. But I think with Lois, he sees someone who he uniquely respects. In the ways that he is invincible to so many things, she is not, and yet she still throws herself in front of a moving train sometimes to do the right thing. I think there’s something about that which he is so incredibly in awe of—that someone who could easily be hurt in so many ways just continues to risk it to do the right thing. That’s something that he’s absolutely amazed by when he looks at her.
He’s a great Superman. 🙂