In true Clark Kent form, would like to correct the record.
David Corenswet gave an interview to Entertainment Weekly in 2019 where he said his 鈥減ie in the sky ambition鈥� was to play Superman.
At that point, the role was not on the market. And Corenswet, a Julliard graduate and Philadelphia native, was just making a name for himself in the industry, with plum breakout roles in two Ryan Murphy Netflix series: 鈥淭he Politician鈥� and 鈥淗ollywood.鈥� Tall, dark, and you know, handsome, people had told him that he looked like Superman for a long time. He did not, he told The Associated Press in a recent interview, think that he was going to get the chance to play him.
But a few years later he was actually cast to lead which will begin a new, hopefully high-flying, era for the when it And that once innocent quote took on a life of its own. Many headlines and stories misinterpreted the phrase and wrote that he said it was his dream role, as though he'd manifested it into existence.
鈥淚 said it was my pie in the sky ambition, which I meant to mean that there was no (expletive) way it was ever going to happen,鈥� Corenswet, 31, said. 鈥淚 sort of was thinking of it as, 鈥極h, who wouldn鈥檛 love to get to play an iconic role like that? Wouldn鈥檛 it be amazing and impossible if we lived in a universe where that could even be considered?鈥欌��
鈥淗e is Superman鈥�
Right around the time when Gunn was starting to think about casting his new Superman movie, he decided to watch his friend In that darkly comedic horror, Corenswet stood out to him as an interesting and charismatic presence. He played a projectionist at a local movie theater who catches Pearl鈥檚 attention (and, later, faces her wrath). West had nice things to say about him too.
鈥淒avid was one of the very first auditions that I got,鈥� Gunn said. 鈥淚nstantly, it was a relief because he had a playful charm about him that was not evident in 鈥楶earl.' He had a sense of humor. That made me go, 鈥極oh, this might be a really good match.鈥欌��
That was just the beginning of the long casting process. Even Nicholas Hoult, who was ultimately cast as Lex Luthor, was up for the part. And though it was 鈥渆xtensive,鈥� Corenswet said it was one of the most 鈥渟atisfying audition processes鈥� he鈥檚 ever gone through 鈥� not because he booked the role, but because he felt he got the opportunity to show them what he had to offer.
Gunn laughed that Corenswet actually has a lot of Superman in him.
鈥淪uperman is a square and David is a square,鈥� Gunn said. 鈥淗e listens to American Songbook. Like Dean Martin and Cole Porter. That鈥檚 what he listens to on his iPad. That鈥檚 weird. But oh, so Superman.鈥�
When Gunn called him with the good news, the first person he told was his wife. The second was his sister, who couldn鈥檛 pick up the phone because she was on a golf course.
鈥淪he texted, 鈥業s it possible that was a phone call with super good news?鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淚 said, 鈥榊es. Super good news.鈥欌��
Growing into the suit
It may be something of a Superman tradition to try on your predecessor鈥檚 costume during a screen test. Henry Cavill did it with Christopher Reeve鈥檚, and Corenswet did it with Cavill鈥檚, which he called a 鈥渕arvel of engineering.鈥�
But the first time Corenswet put on his own Superman costume was not some magical, transportive moment. In fact, he said, it was 鈥渨onderfully mundane.鈥� The suit was still in its beginning stages, not totally put together and even a little small, as he鈥檇 already started putting on weight for the role.
鈥淚 remember the feeling of kind of growing into the suit and the suit growing around me fitting by fitting,鈥� Corenswet said. 鈥淲e had such an amazing costume team and they built the suit around me over the course of many weeks and months and it started to feel just a little bit like home for me.鈥�
The first time he felt the impact of it was through the eyes of other people. To him, it was old hat, but when he walked onto set the first time in the suit he noticed something different from the cast and crew.
鈥淚 saw their faces sort of light up and I went, 鈥榃ait a minute, these people aren鈥檛 that fond of me,鈥欌�� he laughed. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when it hits you.鈥�
Superman, Clark (and Lois)
There are almost three roles involved in playing Superman. There鈥檚 the person he is with his parents and the people he grew up with. There鈥檚 Clark Kent of the Daily Planet. And then there鈥檚 Superman.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a public facing character, he鈥檚 a symbol,鈥� Corenswet said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a presentational element to it, because he does want to present an image of calm and authority. While he doesn鈥檛 always feel that way, he always wants to make other people feel that way as Superman.鈥�
To prepare for Clark Kent, Corenswet looked at the All-Star Superman comic and how Christopher Reeve changed his posture when Lois left the room, but he also drew inspiration for the voice and demeanor way outside of the canon: His brother-in-law, who is 6鈥�8鈥� and 270 pounds, but is the 鈥渜uietest, most wonderful man.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I sort of took the spirit of Clark,鈥� Corenswet said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 this big presence, but he鈥檚 desperately trying to be as small as possible and as quiet as possible.鈥�
Gunn has promised that the film is 鈥渁 personal journey for Superman that鈥檚 entirely new.鈥� He鈥檚 a character who is 鈥減retty damn good, but flawed.鈥� And anyone who has seen the trailer knows there will be romance with Rachel Brosnahan鈥檚 Lois Lane 鈥� but there鈥檚 even a different spin on that.
鈥淗e鈥檚 in love with her,鈥� Gunn said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 the one that needs the convincing in the relationship. It鈥檚 not him. You really see where he needs her in his life.鈥�
Corenswet said that in addition to the action and thrills, the movie also has a Preston Sturges quality to it with 鈥渓onging romance and witty comedy.鈥� Fitting for their reporter characters, 鈥淗is Girl Friday鈥� was also a big reference with 鈥渢he rhythm, the patter and the feeling of two people in love who really are an equal match for the other.鈥�
Summer camp comes to an end
The movie is the and will raise Corenswet鈥檚 profile immeasurably. He鈥檚 been in big movies before, including 鈥淭wisters.鈥� But being Superman is different.
鈥淭he thing that it changed about my life immediately was that I had this amazing mission that I got to go on of playing the part and getting to be a piece of making this awesome film,鈥� he said. "I have so many new friends now. James brings together such a familial cast and crew. And shooting the film is sort of like an extended summer camp.鈥�
Adding to the summer camp vibes: On the last day they even gathered to watch a little blooper reel that Gunn had put together. But what will happen come release is not really something he can fathom at this point.
鈥淚 expect some things will change when the film comes out,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut you know, one still has to wake up and eat breakfast.鈥�
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For more on this year鈥檚 summer movie season, visit:
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
