SUPERMAN Star Nicholas Hoult Talks Lex Luthor Legacy and How Past Actors Shaped His Take

Nicholas Hoult is stepping into some seriously villainous shoes in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman, taking on the role of Lex Luthor, who is arguably the most iconic adversary in the Man of Steel’s long and storied history.

When prepping for the role, Hoult revisited the work of previous actors who helped shape the legacy of Superman’s bald-headed nemesis. The actor told ComicBook:

“I went back and watched Gene, and I love what he did. I mean, I’m such a fan of his in those [Superman] films. And also his whole career as an actor, obviously. He’s incredible — one of the best of all time — so that’s an intimidating thing, obviously.”

Hackman’s version of Lex from Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie was flashy, egotistical real estate schemer, and he made a lasting impression on a generation. For Hoult, he was one of the first versions of the character he connected with.

The other was Michael Rosenbaum’s more emotionally layered performance on Smallville, which explored Lex’s evolution from friend to foe over the course of a decade.

“The first Lex that I was more aware of,” Hoult said, referring to Rosenbaum’s portrayal. While actors like Jon Cryer and Michael Cudlitz have brought their own spins to the role on CW shows in recent years, Hoult said those early Lexes stuck with him the most.

Hoult knows playing a character as ingrained in pop culture as Lex Luthor comes with baggage and expectations. He added:

“It’s intimidating taking on any character that’s been interpreted before. People have strong opinions and ideas of how it should be. You want to take the script, first of all, and do that justice, and serve the story. And then just be honest and truthful to that, and what your opinion of it is.”

Having Gunn at the wheel of this new DC Universe seems to be giving Hoult the room to make the character his own, while still honoring what came before.

“I think that’s the brilliant thing [about] having James as the writer and director of this: he really understands storytelling first and foremost, but also the characters in this world, and what they all represent.

“He wrote scenes that instantly felt very honest and believable to me, so it was then about just committing to those ideas that were on the page, and yeah, going back and watching Gene, and watching Michael.”

With Superman flying into theaters in 2025, fans will soon get to see what Hoult’s version of Lex brings to the table.