Tom Welling discussed his unique stunt with actor and former wrestler Dave Bautista in Smallville. Famous for his iteration of Clark Kent, Welling portrayed the character for a decade, from 2001-2011, on The WB and after its merge with UPN, on The CW. Welling is currently starring in a lead role in the television series Professionals and a recurring role in The Winchesters while his action movie Deep Six will be released sometime next year.
Welling recalled a stunt with Dave Bautista, who played man-eating alien humanoid Aldar on Smallville, during the most recent episode of the podcast Talk Ville. While discussing season 1, episode 19, Welling and his co-host Michael Rosenbaum thought of examples where Welling’s character was thrown to the ground. Welling immediately responded with the Guardians of the Galaxy star’s name and said:
“He was the only person in my life who’s ever picked me up over his head and held me.”
Smallville's Action Set The Standard For Future Superhero Shows
If Talk Ville goes to show anything, it’s that Smallville still holds up as a show. Taking place before his emergence as Superman, the show depicts Clark Kent’s teen years in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas. Smallville was followed by a large viewership and fan base throughout its run. The episode discussed on the podcast featured Adam Brody as Justin Gaines, who gains telekinetic powers after a car accident. His character is dubbed as the only other to successfully hurl him down — besides Bautista who appears in a later season.
These two scenes are reflective of some of the groundbreaking action sequences that were characteristic of Smallville. Christopher Reeve, the iconic first Superman in a live-action and color adaptation, gave his approval of the show, citing the impressive inventiveness of the stunts pulled off with the help of CGI and visual effects. A pioneer in this regard, Smallville went on to influence a number of superhero shows (with now more advanced technology, of course), including The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow, and new Superman iteration Superman & Lois.
Apart from its action, Smallville set itself apart with the mixing of its coming-of-age teen drama and superhero genres. In addition, the show resisted the attempt to show Clark Kent suited up or flying, highlighting instead his humanness. The show has been dearly missed, as proved by Welling and Lois Lane actor Erica Durance’s return to their roles in 2019-2020’s Arrowverse crossover. Given that both actors are game to revisit their Arrowverse arc together, fans can even have some reason to hope now that the Smallville legacy will be renewed.
Source: Talk Ville Podcast