Smallville star Tom Welling reveals that he once let himself do what he wanted between seasons, and ended up slipping out of Superman shape.
Smallville star Tom Welling once decided not to stay in shape for the next season of his show. Smallville is a unique take on Superman’s origins that follows him through his high school days, his early years as an on-and-off friend to Lex Luthor, and a few relationships before he eventually finds the love of his life, Lois Lane. The show depicts the Kents finding Clark in a cornfield, his rise to superheroism, and his discovery of his true heritage as an all-powerful alien. By its end, Clark has fully embraced his role of Superman and carved out a life for himself as a hero.
Yet, in an interview with Talk Ville Podcast, Welling explains that there was one season where he didn’t exactly stay in Superman shape prior to filming.
While Clark comes to love his powers and his place in the world, Welling doesn’t have to always happy about the stress of staying in perfect toned shape just to film a TV show, a grievance that isn’t difficult to sympathize with. Check out Welling’s quote below:
I think there was a discussion. There was a summer where I made a point to just do whatever I wanted, eat whatever I wanted. And, at the same time, I was in the gym every day with my buddy, who’s like a huge weight lifter guy, so I was like eating horrible calories, lifting heavy weights, and I just ballooned. It wasn’t gut fat. I was just round, but I think being on set that that kind of weight went away, because I wasn’t doing those things anymore. There was a little bit… there weren’t going to be any shirtless scenes for a couple weeks.
Why Tom Welling Made The Perfect Clark Kent
Despite getting out of shape before one season, Welling spent the entirety of Smallville proving why he was the best Clark Kent the show could have asked for. Having never flown, and having waited until the final season to put him in the classic Superman suit, Smallville made the bold choice to focus on Clark above all else. Instead of starting with Superman and working backwards, the show depicts a bumbling Clark who eventually grows into a brave and noble character of his own right. Welling embraced that philosophy in his depiction and really sold the growing confidence of the character.
The down-to-Earth depiction of Clark made him feel relatable and real, despite the fact that the character could throw a car miles down the road. Though he spewed constant lies to protect his identity, Welling somehow made the character seem like an honest figure just trying to make his way in the world. Smallville couldn’t be made today because of its reliance on character moments and relationship building, as well as its refusal to embrace the Superman suit that other Superman live-action shows and movies have always depicted. Yet, despite its drawbacks, Welling knew what he was doing.
It also certainly helps that Welling outright looks the part. As Clark, he seems physically smaller, less confident, and more willing to make serious mistakes. As Superman, his confidence radiates off the screen by the end of the series, making him feel like he really is a Man of Steel. At its core, Smallville is a teen drama with romances that Welling sells easily, despite the fact that it is generally understood that Lois would eventually be Clark’s partner. It just shows why Smallville needed an actor like Welling, and Welling needed to pick up Superman’s cape at least once in his life, even if he didn’t want to keep up with the Superman shape.
Source: Talk Ville Podcast
