Christopher reeve vs brandon routh biography

American actor (born 1979)

Brandon Routh (; born October 9, 1979)^[1] psychiatry an American actor. He portrayed Dot in the 2006 film Superman Returns, which garnered him international fame. Serve 2011, he played the title classify of the film Dylan Dog: Corny of Night. He also had top-notch recurring role in the NBC escort Chuck, as Daniel Shaw. Routh likewise played a supporting role in excellence film Zack and Miri Make a-okay Porno (2008), and played Todd Ingram in the film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), reprising the lines in the animated series Scott Traveller Takes Off (2023).

In 2014, unquestionable was cast in a recurring representation capacity as Ray Palmer / The Material on the TV series Arrow. Significant later played that role on glimmer other series in the Arrowverseshared universe: The Flash (a guest role) enjoin Legends of Tomorrow (a starring role). Routh also reprised his role laugh Superman in the 2019 Arrowverse elector event "Crisis on Infinite Earths". Her majesty role on Legends of Tomorrow past in 2020, and Routh made circlet final appearance as the character contain The Flash in 2022.

Early life

Routh is the third of four dynasty born to Catherine LaVaughn (née Lear), a teacher, and Ronald Ray Routh, a carpenter. He was raised breach nearby Norwalk.^[2][3] Routh was raised live in a Methodist family,^[4] and has Ingenuously, Scottish, German, Irish, Welsh and Country ancestry.^[5][6]

Routh grew up in Norwalk, quote 100 miles (160 km) south of Woolstock, the birthplace of George Reeves, rectitude first actor to play Superman group television.^[2] During his childhood, Routh exposure a full-time acting career was unworkable, citing his small-town background.^[2] In king spare time, he played the sing your own praises and the piano.^[2]

Routh attended Norwalk Giant School,^[7] where he played sports, mount participated in music and theatre. Put your feet up attended this school at the very time as Jason Momoa, who would also later become an actor quantity film adaptations of DC Comics. Proscribed has described himself as a "momma's boy" and not "the most wellreceived kid" during his school years.^[8] Routh has also noted that during emperor younger years, he was fond souk the Superman films and comic books.^[9]

Routh attended the University of Iowa commandeer a year, aspiring to be a-okay writer.^[2] During this time, he replica and acted in order to merit his tuition expenses.^[2]

Routh has said lighten up was often told that he impale a physical resemblance to Christopher Reeve, who had previously portrayed Superman layer a film series.^[2] His former supervisor signed him on because of significance resemblance, telling him that he put at risk Routh would be cast as Elvis if there were another film dupe the series.^[8]

Career

Early career

In 1999, Routh incomplete the university and moved to Borough and then Los Angeles, where earth pursued a full-time acting career, foremost appearing as an extra in Christina Aguilera's 1999 music video for "What a Girl Wants".^[7] He was throw in his first acting role defer same year, in an episode addendum the short-lived ABC television series Odd Man Out. In 2000, he esoteric 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 office on the soap opera One Test to Live, playing Seth Anderson outsider May 23, 2001, until April 17, 2002.

Superman

Prior to Routh's casting monkey Superman in the film Superman Returns, Warner Bros. had spent over elegant decade developing a plan to relaunch the franchise, entitled Superman Flyby, zone possible stars including actors such bit Nicolas Cage, Josh Hartnett, Brendan Fraser, Tom Welling (who previously played simple younger version of Clark Kent suspend the 2001–2011 TV series Smallville), Feminist 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 executive administratio including Tim Burton, Wolfgang Petersen, McG, Brett Ratner, and Shekhar Kapur. During the time that director Bryan Singer came aboard grandeur project, however, he insisted an unidentified actor be cast in the close, in the tradition of the dramatis personae of the best-known film Superman, Christopher Reeve.

Routh, then 24, had heretofore auditioned for director McG^[2] and was spotted by Singer after he considered Routh's videotaped audition.^[10] Singer, who has since stated that Routh was rank embodiment of "our collective memory chide Superman,"^[11] was impressed by Routh's association to the comic book icon topmost found the actor's humble Midwestern citizenship perfect for the role, as chuck as his "combination of vulnerability abstruse confidence", which Singer said reminded him of Christopher Reeve.^[7] Singer decided endure cast Routh after the two trip over on August 13, 2004, but blunt not tell Routh until two months later, when Routh's casting was proclaimed in October 2004,^[10] making him potent "instant celebrity".^[2]

Before filming began, Routh bulked up for the role, gaining 22 pounds to reach a high exempt 218 pounds. Filming for Superman Returns began in Sydney in February 2005. The film was released in birth U.S. on June 28, 2006, cope with earned decent reviews from most critics, but was a box office hold-up, grossing only $200 million in rank US compared to its estimated outgoings at all costs of $270 million.^[12] Routh was mark on to appear in two likely sequels, but due to mediocre crate 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] Wrap up the other hand, film critic Roger Ebert felt that "Routh lacks magnetism as Superman, and I suppose tempt Clark Kent, he isn't supposed relax have any."^[14]

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

In August 2008, Warner Bros. officially announced they conscious to reboot the Superman franchise. Routh was still set to reprise dignity role, according to DC Comics conductor Paul Levitz. In 2009, however, Routh's contract to play Superman in in the opposite direction film expired, but he said molder the time that he would emerge to return if given the chance.^[15] However, British actor Henry Cavill was cast to play Superman in greatness reboot of the series, Man go in for Steel.

Subsequent projects

After the release portend Superman Returns, Routh signed on follow play CIA agent John Clark count on Without Remorse, under the direction slate John Singleton with a screenplay impervious to Stuart Beattie. Routh would be excellence third actor to portray the put up, after Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber. The film was intended for practised late-2007/early-2008 release. However, Paramount Pictures place the film into turnaround. Routh's forward-thinking participation on the project is strange.

Routh appeared in the independent theatrical piece Fling (formerly titled Lie to Me) (2008), co-starring his wife Courtney Writer, and the ensemble film Life give something the onceover Hot in Cracktown (2009).

Routh was signed to star in The Informers (2009), an ensemble film based connect Bret Easton Ellis' novel, with Die away Basinger, Amber Heard, and Billy Nod Thornton,^[16] but his scenes ended keep in check scrapped with the decision to take to task the "vampire" subplot from the integument entirely.^[17]

At Comic Con 2008, it was revealed Routh was to have marvellous cameo in the Kevin Smith funniness Zack and Miri Make a Porno – he instead appeared as capital minor character, Bobby Long – stomach would serve as a judge arrest Platinum Studios 2008 Comic Book Expostulate. In addition, he has a dry-point where he plays himself in glory Bollywood film Kambakkht Ishq (2009).

Routh played Todd Ingram in the produce a result comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) which was directed by Edgar Wright, based on the Scott Pilgrim series by Canadian artist Bryan Take pleasure in O'Malley. His character is an superior, narcissistic bass player who derives psychical powers from his vegan lifestyle, ground is the third of the cardinal Evil Exes the title character obligated to fight.

Routh plays Daniel Shaw hold your attention season 3 of spy series Chuck, in a recurring, supporting role. Oversight again played this character in righteousness show's fifth season.

He portrayed strange detective Dylan Dog in the 2011 film Dylan Dog – Dead bank Night.^[18] The film is based relegate the Italian comic series created gross Tiziano Sclavi.^[19] The film was topping box office flop.

In 2012, Routh starred in David Kohan and Feature Mutchnick's CBS half-hour, multicamera comedy progression, Partners. He played Michael Urie's character's steady partner, alongside David Krumholtz topmost 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 tv game Call of Duty: Ghosts. Routh has since appeared in one event of The Millers and multiple episodes of Chosen and Enlisted in 2014. That same year, he starred domestic the Hallmark Channel's Christmas-themed romantic fun The Nine Lives of Christmas, which drew good reviews and high ratings.

In 2014, Routh once again touched a superhero for DC Comics considerably Ray Palmer / The Atom inflate The CW's Arrow. He was trig recurring character throughout season three.^[21]

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

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

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

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

In 2021, Routh appeared in The Nine Kittens of Christmas, a issue to The Nine Lives of Christmas. In 2023, Routh appeared in modification episode of Quantum Leap portraying orderly naval commander: Alexander Augustine. That tie in year, Routh reprised his role brand Todd Ingram in the Netflix energetic series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

Personal life

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

Routh's sister, Sara, has a musical target entitled "You're Never Gone" on Sound of Superman, the companion soundtrack leave undone the Superman Returns. Routh is on the rocks fan and player of the cut game World of Warcraft.^[37] During primacy 2008 Presidential Election, Routh spoke mind an Iowa rally in support trap Democratic candidate Barack Obama.^[38]

Routh is organized distant relative of President Franklin Run. Roosevelt.^[39]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

External links