Tom Welling, star of Smallville, disappointed fans by declining to wear Superman’s iconic outfit in the show’s series finale, and while he did tear open his shirt to reveal it in the final moments, he was never shown wearing it from head to toe. Instead, we saw a small CGI Superman from a distance and Welling from the neck down. It was previously stated that Welling did not want his career to be characterized by a photo of him wearing that outfit, but the actor has now clarified why he took that decision.
“Our finale was supposed to be, in the first act, Clark puts on the suit and flies around, saves Lois on a plane, and does this other stuff,” Welling stated, disappointed with the episode. “I had a chat with Peter Roth, the head of WB Television, who is a good friend of mine and we have a terrific relationship. I said, ‘That is not our show.’ He says, “No, it’ll be great,” and I say, “Yeah, but think about what we’ve been doing.” “If we just jump into that, we haven’t earned it.”
However, it appears that a compromise was ultimately achieved. Sort of. “We jumped on the concept that at the end of the performance, Clark transforms into Superman and he’s out there, and we know he’s out there, but we can’t accompany him, but we know and feel good that he’s out there doing good. I hope the audience didn’t think we didn’t show them what they needed to see. I felt like we offered them a starting place for their imaginations about what can happen.”
The network definitely wanted Superman in the conclusion, but Welling didn’t. The actor refused to wear the suit, so they had to employ a CGI model and camera tricks to make it happen, and then they created a concluding scene that pleased the actor because it foreshadowed his future as the Man of Steel.
“It was something that we discussed before we ever shot the pilot,” Welling added of the “no flights/tights” rule, which led to his feelings about wearing the legendary hero’s outfit on television. “We literally sat down and talked about the show, and when I asked about the suit, tights, and flying, they said, ‘No, absolutely not.'” Part of the reason is that the show is about an adolescent attempting to figure out who he is. They believed that once Clark put on the cape and outfit, life became too easy. They wanted to emphasize who this persona was before that.
Following “Smallville Mysteries,” Tom continued his acting career, albeit not as frequently as his fans might have wanted. Nonetheless, he stays actively involved in the film industry, ensuring his presence is felt.On the personal front, Tom Welling and entrepreneur Jessica Rose Lee have been happily married for four years. They both enjoy raising their two young children.Despite the passage of time and the inevitable changes it brings, Tom Welling’s persistent charm and talent keep him firmly in the spotlight, reminding us all why he is still a beloved figure in the entertainment industry.