‘Smallville’ Stars Confirm Turning Down ‘Supergirl’ Cameos, But Why?
We weren’t terribly surprised when Supergirl opted for its own Superman rather than shatter universes with a Smallville star, but The CW drama has nonetheless hosted a bevy of Super-cameos. Now, both Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum confirm they’ve been approached to join different Arrow-verse series.
Welling will shortly return to the TV limelight with FOX’s DC-based Lucifer, while Rosenbaum too upped his geek cred with a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 role, though the erstwhile Clark and Lex reminisced over their Smallville days in Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast. Along the way, both stars explained the unlikelihood of ever popping up on Supergirl (or another Arrow-affiliated series that approached them first); not wanting to steal the limelight (via IBTimes):
Welling: I’ve been asked to show up on some of these shows that, whether it’s the ‘Arrow’ or ‘Supergirl’ or things like that and I don’t think that’s necessarily for me.
Rosenbaum: That’s what they ask me too and I say the same thing. It’s not because of disrespect, it’s because you gave them 10 years, I gave them seven, it was great. Also there’s an ego to it. ‘Supergirl’ is a show with a lead character and I don’t want to come in and be a secondary character. That’s not me right now.
Welling: It’s a totally different tone.
Most of the Arrow-verse series have a habit of granting larger roles to actors previously affiliated with their character, whether John Wesley Shipp’s ongoing role as The Flash’s father, or Supergirl’s use of Helen Slater, Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher in major roles. It’s likely either of the parts offered to Welling or Rosenbaum were of similar stature, just as Supergirl Season 3 broke the Smallville dam adding Erica Durance in a recast of Kara’s mother.
In the meantime, Supergirl Season 3 will premiere on October 9, the latest trailer for which lies below.