Michael Rosenbaum Talks Fan Reaction to His Lex Luther on Smallville

Michael Rosenbaum is “honored” to be called the best Lex Luther more than two decades after Smallville premiered.

“I wasn’t aware of it for a long time, that people thought this way or felt this way,” Rosenbaum, 52, told Us Weekly exclusively while promoting his new book The Talented Farter. “It wasn’t until the last five or ten years that I started to feel it. People would have top ten lists, and I just didn’t believe it for so long.”

Rosenbaum made his debut as Lex Luther on season 1 of Smallville, which aired throughout 2001. He departed from the show following its seventh season in 2007, but returned for the 2011 series finale.

“It’s been a lot of years. I think when you’re doing it, you want people to appreciate what you did,” Rosenbaum said of the show. “There [are] so many Lex Luthers in the past, and I wanted people to be happy with what I did. I was happy.”

Smallville Michael Rosenbaum Is Honored to be the Favorite Lex Luther
Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luther The CW

Social media wasn’t really a thing when Smallville was at its peak, so Rosenbaum didn’t experience an “instant response” from fans. “It was kind of a crapshoot,” he admitted.

Allison Mack Smallville Cast Where Are They Now

Related: ‘Smallville’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

Before there was the Arrowverse, there was Smallville. The series, which ran for 10 seasons on the WB and The CW, followed a teenage Clark Kent (Tom Welling) in his early days as a farm-dwelling kid living with his adoptive parents Martha (Annette O’Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider). In addition to developing his powers, […]

Rosenbaum told Us that he’s really “humbled” by the continued response from Smallville fans.

“I’m proud of it. It’s amazing how many new people are watching Smallville, and their kids now are watching it. A new generation,” he added. “We started it all. Before us, there was no Flash and Arrow and Superman & Lois and Gotham.”

He went on to call Smallville a “well-crafted” and “great show,” crediting the writing, acting and cinematography.

Smallville Michael Rosenbaum Is Honored to be the Favorite Lex Luther
Michael Rosenbaum Jon Kopaloff/WireImage

“I think that’s why there’s so many of those [superhero] shows now, and even more movies,” Rosenbaum said. “I think Smallville was a big reason for that.”

Smallville also created a “beautiful thing” for Rosenbaum offscreen. The actor’s friendship with former costar Tom Welling — who portrayed Clark Kent on the WB series — has transformed over the years mostly, in part, because of the show’s continued success.

Smallville Michael Rosenbaum Is Honored to be the Favorite Lex LutherThe CW

“We were friends, but we didn’t really hang out because we worked all the time,” Rosenbaum recalled. “It wasn’t until after the show ended, I got Tom to start doing autograph signings. We have a rewatch podcast called ‘TalkVille’ and we do this thing called Smallville Nights, where they do little events at these cons. We just became closer and closer.”

Unforgettable WB Hunks Where Are They Now Joshua Jackson Scott Speedman Wesley Jonathan and More 646

Related: Unforgettable WB Hunks: Where Are They Now?

The WB was a teenager’s dream network before it became The CW in 2006, giving fans a ton of eye candy to look at on all of its hit series. From Summerland and Supernatural to What I Like About You and Charmed, The WB was all about bringing the H๏τtest actors to the forefront, and […]

Now, Rosenbaum and Welling are “trying” to sell a show together. “We’re like brothers,” he added.

Welling and his 5-year-old son, Thompson, even showed major support for Rosenbaum’s recent children’s book, The Talented Farter.

“Him and [wife] Jess [Lee] have read the book, and they sent me a video, actually, today,” Rosenbaum told Us before sharing that the book is about a little boy whose “only ability, is to make his farts sound like things that you hear every day.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

The actor said the book “adds humor to life” and he’s super proud of writing it. (Yes, all the fart sounds included are from Rosenbaum himself.)

“Everybody gets a kick out of it. I mean, farts are funny. They’re part of the norm. People do it. I don’t care,” he said. “You never know what you’re gonna get with a fart. It could be the weirdest sound you’ve ever heard.”

The Talented Farter is out now.

Related Posts

RHOBH’s Dorit Kemsley praises ‘resilient’ son Jagger, 10, after ‘very frightening’ emergency surgeries

RHOBH’s Dorit Kemsley praises ‘resilient’ son Jagger, 10, after ‘very frightening’ emergency surgeries

Dorit Kemsley shared more details about her son Jagger’s ‘very frightening’ emergency surgeries on Monday.  The 48-year-old Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star gushed that she was…

Laura Prepon and Ben Foster’s Relationship Timeline

Laura Prepon and Ben Foster’s Relationship Timeline

Laura Prepon and Ben Foster may have married when they were in their late thirties, but the actors met when they were just teenagers. The Orange Is…

DWTS Live Blog: Follow Along With Us for 500th Episode Celebration

DWTS Live Blog: Follow Along With Us for 500th Episode Celebration

Disney/Christopher Willard Dancing With the Stars is back after a two-week hiatus — and it’s time to celebrate 500 episodes! Join the conversation below! The six remaining…

Liam Payne Sent X-Rated PH๏τos to Ex Maya Henry: Report

Liam Payne Sent X-Rated PH๏τos to Ex Maya Henry: Report

Getty Images (2) Liam Payne reportedly sent ex-fiancée Maya Henry and her family X-rated pH๏τos of himself after their breakup, court filings reveal. Payne was allegedly “performing…

The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei, Kelsey Anderson’s Relationship Timeline

The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei, Kelsey Anderson’s Relationship Timeline

Disney/John Fleenor Joey Graziadei handed out his coveted final rose to Kelsey Anderson on The Bachelor season 28. While their relationship seemed steady throughout the show, which…

Ben Foster Files for Divorce From Laura Prepon After 6 Years

Ben Foster Files for Divorce From Laura Prepon After 6 Years

Ben Foster has filed for divorce from Laura Prepon after six years of marriage, Us Weekly can confirm. Per docs obtained by Us, Foster, 44, cited “irreconcilable…