When I first saw Pearl (2022) I was enamored by the unnamed projectionist. He was a Bohemian American in his 30s, working in a small-town theater in 1918. He was a great character, but easily forgotten after Pearl violently kills him with a pitchfork to the chest… then to the face. His car ends up in a pond and Pearl’s pig then consumes his body.
Fast-forward 3 years and these visions are flashing back to me as I sit in a crowded theater. This time, I wasn’t watching Pearl, but James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. I’ve never voluntarily watched a Marvel or DC film, but this one piqued my interest when the Bohemian projectionist came on screen in a red cape.
David Corenswet is a Philly-born, Juilliard-trained, UPenn alumnus. He’s shown immense range through his roles in Superman, Pearl, Twisters, The Politician, and Hollywood. David comes from a lineage of storytelling as his grandfather is credited with inventing the ‘choose your own adventure’ genre. Growing up, both his parents were actors as well. His father was also a practicing lawyer, meaning David developed an appreciation for the performing arts as well as a sense of discipline.
David’s striking resemblance to Clark Kent is hard to miss and hasn’t gone unnoticed. He said in a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It came to my attention before the internet got a hold of me…but my pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman.” Not just his facial similarities but mannerisms of Clark Kent can be seen in his intimate and sincere audition tape filmed at home with his wife Julia Warner reading Lois’s lines. I believe that the internet seems to agree with me and my take that David plays the most Superman-ish Superman to date. One reddit comment left on his audition tape reads “David had the mannerism of Supes and Clark, but you know, this tape just highlights how much better he got with James Gunn directing him. Can’t wait to see more of him!” Director, James Gunn, said “From the very beginning, he was the guy to beat” (out of nearly 400 actors who auditioned).
When David got the call to tell him he would be playing Superman, he heard a man on the other line say, “Hi this is James Gunn-” and David quickly retorted “Can you prove it?” To me, this shows his humility in the form of disbelief that he would be considered for the role but also demonstrates his quick-witted humor. In that same call, Gunn told a dubious David that he needed to work on his shoulders, and vulnerability. (David’s GQ interview)
I can say without a doubt that those qualities were both on display in theaters. He bulked up naturally from 200 lbs. to 240 lbs. for this role and the results are nothing to scoff at. He’s a naturally lean 6’4, though many online have accused him of being 6’5 (understating his stature to secure roles). I have not been able to find a dependable source to confirm the latter claims. Regardless, I will take this with a grain of salt and add it to my reasons to love him.
Since seeing Superman, I’ve been on a mini Corenswet binge, watching every press appearance and podcast I could find. My favorites: the podcast he produces with his best friends, where he talked candidly about body image, style, and training for the role; Brittany Broski’s Royal Court, where he leaned into the medieval theme by arriving in costume, and pivoted between Star Wars, musical theater, and an did an impeccable impression of a dead-body; and Take Your Shoes Off with Rick Glassman, which ran longer than the run-time of Superman itself. It featured a stoned host, who just pulled his hamstring, getting a massage in the studio while interviewing David for a good portion of the podcast. Each one felt raw, funny, and inviting, letting you see David’s brain at work in real time as he played with different sides of himself.
Beyond these, there are many accounts of David Corenswet being an all-around likable guy. His co-star, Nicholas Hoult, said, “it [he] felt “warm inside,” while being held by David. And while it’s easy to say the perfect role for David is Superman, it’s clear that being a dad is the ideal role for him in real life. In Take Your Shoes Off and Manly Stuff (sort of), he discusses that most people know him as the “dad friend.” He describes himself as the type of guy that makes sure everyone’s seatbelt is on, and in the podcast, he produces, he tells a story of his college roommates panicking after setting off the smoke alarm in the middle of the night. While everyone else was in a frenzy, David calmly walked out his room—in his underwear—and turned it off.
He’s not just the dad friend though. His daughter was born in 2024 and he does an amazing job of keeping his personal life just that: personal. Nicholas Hoult tells ET in an interview, “One of the most beautiful memories I have on set is… I could see underneath [the backdrop] a push chair getting pushed by Superman in his boots and his cape… pushing around the pram in between setups and takes. And I thought, that’s a man who’s perfectly juggling being a superhero, but also being a super dad.” Still in costume and busy saving Metropolis, he finds time to bond with his daughter.
This love and empathy translates into Superman as well. In the Entertainment Weekly article I mentioned earlier, David said he “would love to see somebody do an upbeat, throwback. I love the Henry Cavill dark and gritty take, but I would love to see the next one be very bright and optimistic.” That wish isn’t new—it’s a longstanding dream of his, and it shows that his portrayal of Superman is about authenticity, not opportunism. When he and James Gunn debated the character’s third-act monologue, David pushed for the vulnerability to feel earned, not forced, proving he’s as much a co-author of this Superman as its lead actor.
Superman was originally created in 1938 as a parable of Jewish immigrant identity. Today, that legacy continues in new ways: the character mirrors refugee struggles, statelessness, and the yearning for dignity. David’s push for a lighter, sunnier Superman has even more cultural resonance in a moment where polarization runs rampant, political leaders often resemble cartoon villains, and headlines are filled with images of violence, displacement, and civilians under siege. The film channels this climate directly—Luthor circulates rumors that Superman came to Earth to kill humans and build a harem, reflecting our age of mistrust and disinformation. In contrast, David’s Superman embodies vulnerability, kindness, and care—the exact qualities that toxic masculinity and ironic detachment often push aside.
David and Gunn even talked about Superman as having three selves: the godlike Superman, the clumsy Clark Kent, and a third, more vulnerable identity that only his loved ones see. It’s this third self—something David was instrumental in shaping—that makes his take on the character feel radical in 2025. By insisting that Superman’s emotional beats be earned, not manufactured, David helped carve out space for a hero who is both superhuman and deeply, recognizably human.
“Truth, Justice, and the American Way” was once Superman’s iconic slogan, tied to his midwestern folk-hero roots. But David himself prefers a new motto: “truth, justice, and good things.” That phrasing feels more humane and inclusive, especially in a world where “the American way” rings hollow. In 2025, choosing to play Superman as bright, sincere, and emotionally grounded feels almost radical—and much of that is David’s doing.
What makes David stand out isn’t just the cape or the casting headlines—it’s the way his humor, warmth, and stubborn sincerity leak into everything he does. He’s given us a Superman that feels both timeless and timely, but more than that, he’s shown us who he is in the process. He’s the projectionist and the dad friend, the guy in medieval cosplay, and the guy cherishing time with his daughter in full Superman attire. In other words, he’s that guy.