Although Nicholas Hoult is entering his onscreen villain era, the Superman star was up for the title role as the Man of Steel.
Ahead of the July 11 premiere, Hoult and co-star David Corenswet recalled meeting each other when they auditioned “on the same day” to play Clark Kent in the James Gunn-helmed DCU blockbuster.
“This is very awkward. Yes, I auditioned for Superman,” Hoult told Jimmy Kimmel Live guest host Diego Luna during an appearance with Corenswet.
“I walked out of doing one of my audition scenes, and I was like, ‘Yeah, not bad. Okay,’” he said. “And I walked around the corner, and there were lots of shadows on the studio lot, and then one ray of sunshine. And David had taken a seat in this ray of sunshine and was sitting there, like, charging up from the sun… like Superman does, getting his power.”
Hoult continued, “And I walked over to say hello, and he stood up, and I was like, ‘Goddamn, he’s about an inch taller than me. Look at his hair. Look at his jawline.’ And then he started speaking, and I shook his hand, and I was like, ‘His hands are a bit bigger than me.’ And then he spoke, and I was like, ‘Oh, his voice is a little bit deeper too.’
“And then, in that moment, whilst we were shaking hands, I was like, ‘I’d be happy if this guy was Superman.’ I was like, you’re perfect or it, really, genuinely… But also, what the f—!” added Hoult.
Corenswet admitted he “admired Nick as an actor for a long time,” recalling, “And to get to meet him in this context, both dressed as Clark Kent … a bit weird, hanging from wires and reading this scene.”
“It was wonderful,” added Corenswet. “And then the day that I found out that he had agreed to play Lex Luthor, I thought, ‘This may be the best thing that happens to this film, because a superhero is only as interesting as their villain.’ And I knew Nick was going to bring something really special.”
