Nicholas Hoult, the actor who played Lex Luthor in the film 'Superman,' discusses his inspiration for the character

 

In the next Superman picture, Nicholas Hoult, a Golden Globe contender, will play the villain Lex Luthor.

Multiple actors have previously played the iconic DC villain, including Gene Hackman, Jesse Eisenberg, Jon Cryer, Kevin Spacey, Michael Rosenbum, and others.

Hoult will play the adversary for the first time in the James Gunn-directed thriller, which stars David Corenswet in the lead.

While discussing his preparation for the role, the 35-year-old claimed that he rewatched prior versions by other actors, noting that Gene's portrayal was his all-time favorite.

He told Empire Magazine that Gene is one of his all-time favorite actors. I went back to watch Gene."

"And Michael Rosenbaum, who was the first Lex I saw while growing up watching Smallville," Nicholas said.

The Nosferatu actor admitted that he enjoyed drawing inspiration from earlier performers who had portrayed the part.

"It's interesting when you play a character that's been played before - you're working from a different script, but it's fun to draw inspiration from all of those places."

The film Superman, directed by Gunn, will be released on July 11, 2025.