Recently Superman & Lois star Tyler Hoechlin sat down to talk about his chill version of DC's most iconic hero. Hoechlin's explanation is right on the heels of the exciting return of the series for its second season on the CW. Perhaps the actor's words can help shed some light on the magic behind both the show and what makes his take seemingly more well-liked than other depictions of Superman in recent years.
In the series, audiences get to see a Superman in his prime, coming home to raise his family with Lois Lane after already having had a career of heroics. He takes a job as a High School football coach to keep an eye on his teenage sons on the team, one of whom is exhibiting powers similar to his own. While the boys are usually the center of the drama, Lois herself is still just as fiery as ever, and viewers are treated to a Superman/ Clark Kent who is the calm heart of the family, compassionate, understanding, and rarely losing his cool despite everything happening around him.
As reported by Comicbook.com, Superman & Lois star Hoechlin recently explained his reasoning for the chill version of Superman he portrays. First, Hoechlin points out that he is playing a more experienced hero, saying, "...for the most part, he's kind of seen it all before, and it's not anything new." Hoechlin then goes to a topic that he knows well, sports (he is a big baseball fan), and talks about the difference time on the field makes for both players and coaches. In his words:
"For me, it's always easier to equate things to sports. You see young coaches in basketball or something, and they're yelling, and they're screaming. Then you see them as they spend more time in the league, and they become...take a Phil Jackson example. There comes a point where you realize that screaming is really not necessarily helping. And so, you can kind of bring it down. You've been there before, and you know the situation. For me, there is a chill thing to this version of Superman, because he's been there, and he's seen it, he's done it."
This is not to say that Hoechlin's Superman is above emotions, as Clark can lose his cool when his family, especially his kids, are threatened. Hoechlin explains, "You always hear mama bear, but I think anytime you see your child in danger, it snaps, and you go into full protective mode. I think it's important for those things to also be highlighted about him. I think it deepens his connection to being human and being relatable..." He also points out that juxtaposing Superman's calm demeanor with the moments when he loses his cool during exceptionally heated moments sells the danger for the audience.
It has been pointed out that Hoechlin's Superman on Superman & Lois seems to be the closest performance to Christopher Reeves. Though Hoechlin claims he did not study Reeve's Superman, it makes sense for two actors dedicated to the role to come to similar conclusions about the Man of Steel's usual demeanor. If bullets can literally bounce off one's chest, anything else the world can throw likely seems like not that big of a deal. Of course, with the potential challenges awaiting Superman and his family in the upcoming season, it is all too likely that viewers will see a lot more of the angry red laser eyes before things calm down again for the Man of Steel.
SOURCE: Comicbook.com