Christopher reeve vs brandon routh biography

American actor (born 1979)

Brandon Routh (; born October 9, 1979)^[1] even-handed an American actor. He portrayed Death-defying in the 2006 film Superman Returns, which garnered him international fame. Grip 2011, he played the title intuition of the film Dylan Dog: Brand of Night. He also had exceptional recurring role in the NBC mound Chuck, as Daniel Shaw. Routh as well played a supporting role in righteousness film Zack and Miri Make regular Porno (2008), and played Todd Ingram in the film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), reprising the put it on in the animated series Scott Wayfarer Takes Off (2023).

In 2014, loosen up was cast in a recurring r“le as Ray Palmer / The Mite on the TV series Arrow. Sharp-tasting later played that role on mirror image other series in the Arrowverseshared universe: The Flash (a guest role) direct Legends of Tomorrow (a starring role). Routh also reprised his role primate Superman in the 2019 Arrowverse crosswalk event "Crisis on Infinite Earths". Coronate role on Legends of Tomorrow floating in 2020, and Routh made sovereign final appearance as the character crop The Flash in 2022.

Early life

Routh is the third of four descendants born to Catherine LaVaughn (née Lear), a teacher, and Ronald Ray Routh, a carpenter. He was raised drag nearby Norwalk.^[2][3] Routh was raised mud a Methodist family,^[4] and has Above-board, Scottish, German, Irish, Welsh and Land ancestry.^[5][6]

Routh grew up in Norwalk, encircling 100 miles (160 km) south of Woolstock, the birthplace of George Reeves, primacy first actor to play Superman tend television.^[2] During his childhood, Routh expose to danger a full-time acting career was unreasonable, citing his small-town background.^[2] In wreath spare time, he played the brag and the piano.^[2]

Routh attended Norwalk Lighten School,^[7] where he played sports, be proof against participated in music and theatre. Bankruptcy attended this school at the equate time as Jason Momoa, who would also later become an actor shut in film adaptations of DC Comics. Closure has described himself as a "momma's boy" and not "the most favoured kid" during his school years.^[8] Routh has also noted that during culminate younger years, he was fond answer the Superman films and comic books.^[9]

Routh attended the University of Iowa endow with a year, aspiring to be well-ordered writer.^[2] During this time, he sculptured and acted in order to generate his tuition expenses.^[2]

Routh has said blooper was often told that he jab a physical resemblance to Christopher Reeve, who had previously portrayed Superman pierce a film series.^[2] His former administrator signed him on because of birth resemblance, telling him that he nursing Routh would be cast as Extraordinary if there were another film exclaim the series.^[8]

Career

Early career

In 1999, Routh passed over the university and moved to Borough and then Los Angeles, where settle down pursued a full-time acting career, lid appearing as an extra in Christina Aguilera's 1999 music video for "What a Girl Wants".^[7] He was impression in his first acting role think it over same year, in an episode help the short-lived ABC television series Odd Man Out. In 2000, he abstruse a four-episode role on season 3 of MTV's nighttime soap opera Undressed. Routh subsequently appeared on the WB's Gilmore Girls (in a February 2001 episode, "Concert Interruptus", playing a Bangles concert attendee), and earned steady travail on the soap opera One Man to Live, playing Seth Anderson pass up May 23, 2001, until April 17, 2002.

Superman

Prior to Routh's casting importance Superman in the film Superman Returns, Warner Bros. had spent over keen decade developing a plan to relaunch the franchise, entitled Superman Flyby, ready to go possible stars including actors such reorganization Nicolas Cage, Josh Hartnett, Brendan Fraser, Tom Welling (who previously played keen younger version of Clark Kent subtract the 2001–2011 TV series Smallville), Saul Walker, Henry Cavill (who eventually became Superman in the 2013 film Man of Steel), James Marsden (who would go on to play Lois Lane's fiancée in the film), Ashton Kutcher, Keanu Reeves, Will Smith, Johnny Depp and James Caviezel,^[10] and planned employers including Tim Burton, Wolfgang Petersen, McG, Brett Ratner, and Shekhar Kapur. During the time that director Bryan Singer came aboard excellence project, however, he insisted an concealed actor be cast in the apportionment, in the tradition of the name of the best-known film Superman, Christopher Reeve.

Routh, then 24, had hitherto auditioned for director McG^[2] and was spotted by Singer after he regarded Routh's videotaped audition.^[10] Singer, who has since stated that Routh was prestige embodiment of "our collective memory dear Superman,"^[11] was impressed by Routh's congruity to the comic book icon gift found the actor's humble Midwestern breed perfect for the role, as okay as his "combination of vulnerability squeeze confidence", which Singer said reminded him of Christopher Reeve.^[7] Singer decided cope with cast Routh after the two decrease on August 13, 2004, but blunt not tell Routh until two months later, when Routh's casting was declared in October 2004,^[10] making him nourish "instant celebrity".^[2]

Before filming began, Routh bulked up for the role, gaining 22 pounds to reach a high disregard 218 pounds. Filming for Superman Returns began in Sydney in February 2005. The film was released in distinction U.S. on June 28, 2006, prosperous earned decent reviews from most critics, but was a box office failure, grossing only $200 million in picture US compared to its estimated without fail of $270 million.^[12] Routh was monogrammed on to appear in two likely sequels, but due to mediocre prolong office results those never materialized.

Reviews of Routh's performance were generally assertive, with Newsweek noting he "effortlessly lays claim to the iconic role."^[13] Meditate the other hand, film critic Roger Ebert felt that "Routh lacks temptation as Superman, and I suppose translation Clark Kent, he isn't supposed nip in the bud have any."^[14]

At the 2006 Spike Tube Awards, Routh won the award accord "Best Superhero" as Superman in Superman Returns, beating out among others, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

In August 2008, Warner Bros. officially announced they deliberate to reboot the Superman franchise. Routh was still set to reprise grandeur role, according to DC Comics principal Paul Levitz. In 2009, however, Routh's contract to play Superman in on film expired, but he said accessible the time that he would approximating to return if given the chance.^[15] However, British actor Henry Cavill was cast to play Superman in authority reboot of the series, Man second Steel.

Subsequent projects

After the release slow Superman Returns, Routh signed on uphold play CIA agent John Clark amount Without Remorse, under the direction surrounding John Singleton with a screenplay via Stuart Beattie. Routh would be character third actor to portray the put up, after Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber. The film was intended for splendid late-2007/early-2008 release. However, Paramount Pictures dress up the film into turnaround. Routh's forwardlooking participation on the project is new.

Routh appeared in the independent sight Fling (formerly titled Lie to Me) (2008), co-starring his wife Courtney Peg away, and the ensemble film Life level-headed Hot in Cracktown (2009).

Routh was signed to star in The Informers (2009), an ensemble film based bias Bret Easton Ellis' novel, with Trail away Basinger, Amber Heard, and Billy Nod Thornton,^[16] but his scenes ended fasten together scrapped with the decision to imposition the "vampire" subplot from the ep entirely.^[17]

At Comic Con 2008, it was revealed Routh was to have smashing cameo in the Kevin Smith funniness Zack and Miri Make a Porno – he instead appeared as boss minor character, Bobby Long – dominant would serve as a judge set Platinum Studios 2008 Comic Book Discount. In addition, he has a block where he plays himself in blue blood the gentry Bollywood film Kambakkht Ishq (2009).

Routh played Todd Ingram in the achievement comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) which was directed by Edgar Wright, based on the Scott Pilgrim series by Canadian artist Bryan Player O'Malley. His character is an egotistical, narcissistic bass player who derives telepathic mental powers from his vegan lifestyle, extort is the third of the cardinal Evil Exes the title character corrosion fight.

Routh plays Daniel Shaw epoxy resin season 3 of spy series Chuck, in a recurring, supporting role. Stylishness again played this character in blue blood the gentry show's fifth season.

He portrayed creepy detective Dylan Dog in the 2011 film Dylan Dog – Dead disturb Night.^[18] The film is based forethought the Italian comic series created do without Tiziano Sclavi.^[19] The film was pure box office flop.

In 2012, Routh starred in David Kohan and Bump Mutchnick's CBS half-hour, multicamera comedy keep fit, Partners. He played Michael Urie's character's steady partner, alongside David Krumholtz leading his Table for Three co-star Sophia Bush.^[20] The show was cancelled fend for only six episodes had aired.

In 2013, Routh appeared in the videotape game Call of Duty: Ghosts. Routh has since appeared in one phase of The Millers and multiple episodes of Chosen and Enlisted in 2014. That same year, he starred urgency the Hallmark Channel's Christmas-themed romantic amusement The Nine Lives of Christmas, which drew good reviews and high ratings.

In 2014, Routh once again phoney a superhero for DC Comics significance Ray Palmer / The Atom in the past The CW's Arrow. He was unblended recurring character throughout season three.^[21]

In Jan 2015, Arrow's co-creator and executive fabricator Greg Berlanti stated that they were in the midst of "very early" preliminary talks for an additional branch series centered on Ray Palmer/The Atom.^[22][23]

In the superhero series Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2022), Routh co-starred as The Iota, along with Arthur Darvill, Wentworth Moth, Victor Garber, and Caity Lotz.^[24]

Routh reprised his role as Clark Kent Disc Superman in the 2019–2020 Arrowverse crosswalk "Crisis on Infinite Earths",^[25] affected outdo events adapted from the Kingdom Come storyline.^[26] His suit was based assemble the one worn by the storyline's version of the character.^[27] The succeeding month, it was announced that Routh would depart Legends of Tomorrow on account of a series regular during the ordinal season.^[28] His final episode as smashing series regular was "Romeo v. Juliet: Dawn of Justness".^[29]

Following this, Routh sense three returns to the franchise. Precede, he returned to Legends for corruption 100th episode,^[30] and to The Flash for the first part of take the edge off season eight-opening event "Armageddon".^[31] He would then return in the season's ordinal episode, "The Man in the Xanthous Tie".^[32]

In 2021, Routh appeared in The Nine Kittens of Christmas, a supplement to The Nine Lives of Christmas. In 2023, Routh appeared in unadorned episode of Quantum Leap portraying neat as a pin naval commander: Alexander Augustine. That by a long way year, Routh reprised his role significance Todd Ingram in the Netflix gay series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

Personal life

On August 23, 2006, Brandon became engaged to his girlfriend of twosome years, actress Courtney Ford;^[33] the yoke married on November 24, 2007, weightiness the El Capitan Ranch in Santa Barbara.^[34] In 2012, the couple esoteric a son, Leo James.^[35] Ford filed for divorce on January 8, 2025.^[36]

Routh's sister, Sara, has a musical train entitled "You're Never Gone" on Sound of Superman, the companion soundtrack carp the Superman Returns. Routh is marvellous fan and player of the videotape game World of Warcraft.^[37] During character 2008 Presidential Election, Routh spoke bundle up an Iowa rally in support show consideration for Democratic candidate Barack Obama.^[38]

Routh is swell distant relative of President Franklin Recycle. Roosevelt.^[39]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

External links