“They can
be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to
show the way. For this reason above all – their capacity for good – I
have sent them you... my only son.”
– Jor-El-
”
Brandon Routh - Superman/Clark Kent
"It's a great legacy before me. Many fantastic actors , artists, writers have come before me and created this character. I am very honored to be a part of it.
The first
time I was on set was a scene that I don't think is in the film right
now. It was in the Daily Planet. Revealing the suit for the first time
for the crew was pretty awesome because there was a buildup. We had been
there for a couple of months and no one had really seen me really yet
or we hadn't filmed anything. There was certainly a great positive energy
in the room. I hadn't really quite felt in tune with the character quite
as much until that day. Because then people who had seen me and people
that didn't know me kind of accepted me just by seeing walking around
as the character. It was very helpful for me. The water sequence was pretty
difficult. Basically water in the film is the most difficult thing. You
have to be able to clear your sinuses. You have to have a crash course
on scuba diving and how to breathe through a regulator. which was cool.
That mixed in with everything else I had to do, was just pretty insane.
Water is a challenging thing to work with. Plus when you're in tights
and a cape , boots that fill with water and all these crazy things. And
it was the end of the shoot so I was getting pretty tired by that time.
I have no idea what a sequel would be about. I have ideas about what I
want. But I have no idea what they are going to do.
People ask about the curse of Superman,. And I usually say that "what
curse ? Because I feel that people have different lives And what happened
to other people doesn't mean it's going to happen to me. I don't live
my life in fear. There are so many great things about this that to bring
in anything negative is not right.
I did watch some of the Superman DVD's and the special features. Watching the process on what it took to get Chris (Reeve) cast. It was interesting because it resembles our attempt. I was very familiar with the films beforehand. The first film and the second film which is what we are taking off from. I watched the other films as well again. With those two films it was really just to refresh my memory about the character again. When I was reading the script, I was actually picturing Chris because he was and still is my Superman
“When
I was reading the script, I was actually picturing Chris because he
was and still is
my Superman” - Brandon Routh
To go too far another way for the sake of my ego or just wanting to create something in this situation is just wrong. Especially since we are continuing in a sense that story. The characters have to feel somewhat similar. What are you going to do with Superman ? The world and all the people that have created him have all come together to kind of make this image. Everyone is making the same idea, has the same idea what he should be. So for me to say that he should have a southern accent or something crazy, doesn't make any sense. Really it's what about what's inside and what you feel about yourself when you put that on. Because it's very imposing if worn with confidence I suppose. The first time I wore the costume, I didn't have that as much. I hadn't really trained any. I hadn't read the script or worked on the character at that point. And I was standing around a room full of costume designers I hadn't done the work that I would later do. But then I was able to track the process. Then really did grow into it and felt comfortable."
Kevin
Spacey - Lex Luthor
"There is no question that Lex Luthor is a big iconic, almost theatrical character. There are times when you think, "Is that a little over the top, Can the see the mugging from a helicopter ? The smart thing about Bryan Singer is that he always makes sure that he gets different variations. One that is really big and one that is not quite as big. Because the smart director will make sure that in editing, he's got choices.
Podcasts
Superman Returns
Interviews with the cast including Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Sam Huntington, Kevin Spacey, Parker Posey, Writers Dan Harris & Michael Daugherty and Director Bryan Singer. Download >>
Superman Returns - Part Two
More with the cast plus Bryan Singer and Paul Levitz Of DC Comics
Download >>
John Ottman - Composer & Editor
The Usual Suspects editor and composer talks about the challenge of wearing both hats again for Superman Returns
Download >>
“There is
no question that Lex Luthor is
a big iconic, almost theatrical character.
There are times when you think,
"Is that a little over the top, Can the see the mugging from a helicopter
?”
If you're Bryan, then you cut the movie in your head to a certain degree. But it's only when you're in editing that you start to shape the performance through multiple angles. All of that plays a part in how a character will develop. Which is why at the end of the day, movies are not an actor's medium, it's a director's medium.
I don't look at any character that I play and genrify them. Everyone asks "What is it like to play a villain ?" I understand the question and I understand from the viewer's point of view why you easily catagorize But as an actor you just don't do that. Even if you are playing Yago in Othello. You don't go" Now I'm going to twirl my mustache." You try to approach it from a point of view that this is a character that is motivated by what ? What kind of character is it ? Yes the character is doing some good things and some bad things. You never sit back in a position of judgment. From a perspective of what you are trying to do in a performance, you are trying to humanize characters. So I am always trying to avoid the stereotype."
All pictures
© 2006 Warner Bros Pictures
Compiled from Sci-Fi Talk Podcasts with audio provided with thanks to
Warner Bros.
More To Come
