Years after Henry Cavill’s initial Superman debut, I finally feel a deeper connection to his portrayal than I ever have before. Cavill was introduced as the DCEU’s official Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel and continued to portray Clark Kent until 2021’s Justice League, though he did have an uncredited cameo in The Flash in 2023. With the upcoming DCU reboot, Cavill has officially retired from the role. Having gotten the first official glimpse of David Corenswet’s portrayal, many fans are now discussing the live-action Superman iterations compared to one another.

Though there are plenty of fans of Cavill’s Superman, a common criticism was that his version was too understated. Following in the footsteps of Christopher Reeves and Brandon Routh, Superman is expected to be a big, flashy superhero. Instead, Cavill gave a much more grounded version of Clark that hit with some fans and missed with others. Seeing the first footage from Superman, I was excited to see that Gunn is bringing a more colorful and upbeat version back to the screen. However, one of Cavill’s Man of Steel interviews has made me much more understanding of his portrayal.

Henry Cavill’s Explanation Of DCEU’s Superman Depiction Finally Connected The Dots For The Character For Me

Clark Kent Has Always Been An Outsider

Cavill’s interview with GO POP from 2013 has made me understand his portrayal of the character on a much deeper level. He explains that he approached the hero from the lens of someone who sees loneliness not as a sob story, but as a way to observe society. While Superman is supposed to be a beacon of hope for humanity, he is ultimately an alien on Earth. Cavill approached his character from the perspective of an outsider trying his best to adapt to a new planet while grappling with his responsibility to look after the world. He explained:

“The character which we represent in the movie has always been in the comic books, but in live-action, it’s always been ‘Yeah okay, it’s an invulnerable alien that flies and saves cats from trees and stuff and never does wrong’ and you’re like ‘Okay! Well, I guess that’s cool’ – but if we genuinely discovered an alien amongst us, how would we react? And more importantly, how would that alien feel? Especially if his responsibility was actually looking after the world, because if we discovered that it would turn us on our head.”

Cavill’s version of Clark shouldn’t be seen as a quiet, brooding hero, but rather a contemplative one. As an outsider, he needs calm, grounded moments to himself in order to observe the society he is tasked with protecting. Cavill’s portrayal doesn’t necessarily feel like the optimistic beacon that we’ve come to expect from Clark Kent, but I truly understand where Cavill was coming from with his portrayal after watching this interview. No one really stops to think about how hard it must’ve been for Clark to adapt to a new world, even as the powerful hero that he is.

Why It’s Good Henry Cavill’s Superman Is Different To So Many Other Versions Of Superman

Every Superman Project Has A Fresh Take

There have been many iterations of Superman over the years. With such an iconic hero, it’s no surprise that a lot of dedicated fans have an expectation of how the character is portrayed. However, the point of letting so many actors take a shot at the role is so that we can get truly different iterations. If everyone’s portrayal of Superman felt the same, then every project would feel like a repeat of itself. Cavill’s version of Superman is often singled out as the most different of the bunch, but we should start looking at it as a good reason.

Some viewers may confuse Cavill’s different portrayal of Clark as a mischaracterization since he is so different from past versions of Superman, but his 11-year-old interview proves his deep understanding of the character. Cavill sees Clark as the outsider to Earth that he is and portrays an introspective, grounded version of the character that so many of us would relate to if we were put in a new environment. Cavill’s Superman is different enough from past versions while still feeling authentic to the character.

I’m Glad Henry Cavill Got To Bring His Version Of Superman To The Big Screen

Cavill’s Superman Will Always Be Remembered

Despite the mixed reception of his portrayal, I’m glad that Cavill got a chance to portray Superman. The DCEU as a whole had its ups and downs, which is why it’s ultimately getting rebooted. I’m excited to see how James Gunn revamps the universe and the classic Superman aura that David Corenswet will bring to the character, but I’ll always accept Cavill’s Superman as an authentic, passionate portrayal.

Superman should bring hope to humanity, and Cavill’s Superman just did that differently. As an outsider to Earth, he decided that the most effective way for him to protect humanity would be to observe them and reflect. His grounded take on the hero might not have been every fan’s favorite, but it was a necessary one that shined a new light on Clark’s character. The recast was ultimately a good idea going into the new DCU, but I’ll always be glad that Cavill’s Superman portrayal exists.