his brutal version of the DC villain in season 3 before becoming a more prominent presence in season 4 after ing the main cast. Other stars include Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent/Superman, Bitsie Tulloch as Lois Lane, Alex Garfin as Jordan Kent, and Michael Bishop as Jonathan Kent, among others.
As part of the "Being Super With The Cast Of Superman & Lois" moderated by Screen Rant's Joe Deckelmeier at Fan Expo Philadelphia, Cudlitz explained why he felt fan response mattered less than knowing he performed the part well. Per the actor, getting "ten to fifteen of the fans digging what's happening" would be "a straight-up win."
He then expressed his surprise at the positive reception he received from Superman & Lois fans: "As it turns out, and I'll leave it to the fans to decide, we got a lot more than that. My Lex was incredibly welcomed from those that saw it." Cudlitz does acknowledge that his Lex may not be for everyone, however: "There are some that just judge it on, with the goatee, and that's fine, I get it. It's their loss because the show is amazing."
According to Cudlitz, the quality of Superman & Lois was reward enough, even discounting the fan reaction. He explained: "When I started watching it when they were talking to me about doing it and saw what these guys were doing, I was so impressed and excited to be part of it that I didn't even care anymore."
What Michael Cudlitz's Superman & Lois Comments Mean
Superman & Lois Took Lex In A Very Different Direction
Compared with previous versions of Lex, Cudlitz's take on the character was more rageful than ever. Maintaining the character's backstory of having been abused as a child, the actor brought a simmering anger to the role, with Lex blaming Superman for ruining his life and--almost successfully--attempting his revenge. This is a Lex who will stomp on Clark's heart right in front of his son with no remorse all because Lois and Superman were responsible for separating him from his daughter for a crime he did not commit. According to Cudlitz, this traces back to his lifelong family struggles:
It's a highly playable action, the loss of one's child, whether it be actual loss through death or even maybe worse, your child being stripped from you emotionally of no fault of your own. Even though he is obviously guilty of many other things, but this particular thing that he's being accused of, he is not, and his moral com is smashed because of that.
He added: "That idea of family and loss of family plays incredibly, incredibly heavily in the pain that is driving Lex right now in our story." Cudlitz's Lex is more brutal because of his inability to quell his rage, something that both fuels him and serves as his undoing. He is so single-minded in ruining Superman that he costs himself the one confidante he has left and later lands himself right back in jail.
Our Take On Michael Cudlitz's Superman & Lois Comments
Cudlitz's Lex Was Meant To Be A Unique Portrayal
There is no denying that Cudlitz' version of Lex is different; even the actor himself acknowledges that. However, the goal of Superman & Lois was to tell the story of an older, more experienced Superman, so it makes sense that the series would take the approach of having a more vengeful Lex. Unfortunately, this does mean that not every fan will resonate with such a unique take on the character, but Cudlitz doesn't seem especially bothered by that. Rather, the actor is satisfied with being the perfect Lex for what the writers of Superman & Lois envisioned.
- Showrunner
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