DC TV has been a long-time franchise for Warner Bros. as multiple characters have come to the small-screen within the last two decades. Currently, the Arrowverse is one of the primary reasons why the DC TV brand has become as big as it has. While more DC shows are being produced outside The CW, it's a golden age of TV for many of DC Comics' iconic characters. With so many actors have played beloved roles in their respective series, it has become part of said character's own mythology as they got to contribute to DC's legacy.
However, something that has become a normal thing for DC TV is when actors who played a different DC character then get to show-up in another show as a new player. In some cases, like with Smallville for example, it was legacy casting which continues to happen on many of the Arrowverse shows to this day. These are 10 of the actors who have appeared in multiple DC TV shows as different characters.
Dean Cain
One of the actors to have played Superman on the small-screen is Dean Cain who starred as the titular hero in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The show ran for 4 seasons and remains as one of the best shows featuring the Man of Steel to this day.
However, many years later, Cain would be pulled back into the Superman franchise on both Smallville and Supergirl. On the Clark Kent-drama, Cain played a version of Vandal Savage while on Kara Zor-El's solo-series, he played Jeremiah Danvers, her surrogate father who was recently killed off.
Teri Hatcher
One of the many actresses that have gotten to play Lois Lane is Teri Hatcher, who starred in n Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. However, just like with her co-star Cain, Hatcher has also had her fair share of DC TV adventures.
In Smallville season 10, Hatcher was cast to play Lois Lane's mother Ella who was seen through recorded video messages that she had made for her daughters when she was sick. Several years later, Hatcher got to play a villain for a change on Supergirl as she portrayed Queen Rhea, Mon-El's controlling mother.
Helen Slater
While Helen Slater is best known as the original Supergirl on the big screen, the actresses haven't been gone from the Superman family in the last decade. On Smallville, Slater was cast as Lara-El, Clark Kent's biological mother who appeared in the seventh season, but only as a clone while the real Lara was seen in flashbacks.
Slater reprised the role one more time in the final season as part of a final message from her and Jor-El in the Fortress of Solitude. On Supergirl, she plays Eliza Danvers, Jeremiah's wife, and the mother to Alex while being a surrogate for Kara.
Sofia Vassilieva
In some cases for the Arrowverse, there have been times when a guest star has ended up getting cast on another show a season or two later, but as a brand new character. That is the case for Sofia Vassilieva who has appeared both on Supergirl and Black Lightning.
She first appeared as Olivia in the Kara Zor-El-drama where she was part of a cult that worshipped the Girl of Steel. On Black Lightning, however, Vassilieva got the chance to play a DC villain as she portrayed a reimagined version of Looker who is part of The Outsiders in the comics.
Daniel Cudmore
While most comic book fans know Daniel Cudmore as the original Colossus in the X-Men films, the actor has made his way into the Arrowverse several times.
Cudmore first made it on to Arrow where he appeared for one episode as Jackhammer, a member of the Demolition Team from the DC mythology. 2 years later, he appeared in The Flash season 5 premiere as Gridlock, a minor DC foe.
Michael Rosenbaum
Someone who has played Lex Luthor the longest is Smallville's Michael Rosenbaum whose performance as the iconic Superman foe is still seen as the best one in live-action. For 7 seasons, Lex's journey into villainy was explored in-depth, hence why his performance is near and dear to so many fans.
However, Rosenbaum's part as Lex isn't the only DC recognition in his body of work. The actor also voiced Wally West a.k.a. The Flash on Justice League Unlimited, whose performance was universally praised.
Colin Salmon
In some DC TV actors cases, they get to go from supporting characters to iconic DC villains and that is what happened to Colin Salmon. The British actor played Walter Steele on Arrow in the first 2 seasons who became Moira Queen's second husband after Robert's passing.
However, Salmon returned to the DC realm years later as he was cast as General Zod on Krypton. For 2 seasons, Salmon got to play a very different, but still villainous Zod whose performance makes him one of the best versions of the Superman foe in live-action.
Laura Vandervoort
Before Melissa Benoist landed the role of Supergirl in the Arrowverse drama, Laura Vandervoort was TV's first Girl of Steel. In the seventh season of Smallville, Vandervoort portrayed Kara Kent who had been stuck on Earth in suspended animation for over 15 years.
While her character only lasted for 1 season and 3 episodes between season 8-10, Vandervoort didn't stay away from the DC world for too long. She appeared in Supergirl season 1 as the DC villain Indigo a.k.a. Brainiac-8 who was a recurring foe throughout the first season.
Erica Durance
The actor to have played Lois Lane the longest in live-action is Erica Durance who joined Smallville during the fourth season. While it was unusual to see Lois this early in Clark's life, her version was so beloved that Durance became a series regular for the following 6 seasons.
However, she later returned to The CW years later on a different super-show when she took over for Laura Benanti as Alura Zor-El, Kara's biological mother on Supergirl.
Tom Welling
To this day, Tom Welling is the actor to have played Clark Kent/Superman the longest as he starred as the iconic DC hero on Smallville for 10 years. While he didn't become the Man of Steel until the series finale, his version of Clark certainly proved that you can be a Superman without the cape. However, this wouldn't be the last time he appeared in a DC property.
While Lucifer only became part of the Arrowverse officially in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Welling appeared in the DC/Vertigo drama's third season. While he was initially cast as Marcus Pierce, his real identity was revealed as he turned out to be none other than Cain from the Bible.