S3E48 Brandon Routh's Been Thinking

Our good friend Brandon Routh is one of those “thoughtful actors”. Some, by contrast, are more intuitive. They let their guts and gut instincts guide them and their creative choices. In most cases, their life choices, too.

But, that’s another conversation for another day and another podcast.

I’ve no doubt that had Brandon become anything else – a doctor, a teacher, a businessperson – he’d have been just as thoughtful. But he’s a storyteller by trade. Being “thoughtful” is part of the gig.

Maybe that’s why he’s so good at it.

It’s why Brandon made and still makes an excellent SUPERMAN.

Superman is kinda unique among SUPER HEROES because where he comes from gives him a unique perspective on humanity as a whole. Batman’s secret – that he’s BATMAN – that’s important to GOTHAMM CITY (which is where Bruce Wayne comes from).

His perspective can never not be earthbound.

Superman comes from a whole other planet in a whole other solar system in some other far away part of the universe.

He has perspective Batman could never have.  And unlike Batman type super heroes – which is pretty much everyone other than Superman – Superman IS Superman.

He wardrobes up to become CLARK KENT. Batman and all the others? Well, the man’s name is Bruce Wayne. And being Batman is just one of the ways Bruce Wayne spends his time and money.

The point of all this is this: casting Superman is far more challenging than casting Batman in large part because the character of Batman has more latitude.

You can cast an ADAM WEST and it works. Or you could cast GEORGE CLOONEY or CHRISTIAN BALE. Those actors have all characterized Batman differently. Batman hasn’t suffered.

Neither has the franchise.

Casting Superman is entirely different. Perversely, because of how acting for the camera works – which is to say the camera will see all acting and we’ll have to edit it out – the most emotionally honest actor will play best.

Honesty goes hand-in-hand with good acting and good acting goes hand-in-hand with honesty. It really is that simple.

Brandon is open book honest. And thoughtful as hell. That’s because he literally thinks about everything all the time. Like a tic.

It’s truly noteworthy that Americans more than anyone are obsessed with super heroes. Why that is – that’s still another conversation and probably a bunch of new podcasts.  Suffice it to say that Americans not only imagine more super heroes than anyone else, we grow tired of and abandon more than anyone else.

I’m sure that’s a record of some kind. I’m just not sure it’s a record we want.

I’ve known and worked with a couple of the actors who’ve donned the red cape. CHRISTOPHER REEVE did one of the most popular episodes of TALES FROM THE CRYPT – WHAT'S COOKIN', which Gil and I wrote and which Gil directed.

And Chris’ whole career was impacted by that one particular role he played. That role has impacted every actor who’s played it – one way or another.

How did playing Superman impact Brandon’s life? Brandon Routh’s been thinking about that…