Nicholas Hoult on Lex Luthor, Superman, and DC’s New Era
British actor Nicholas Hoult is known for his chameleon-like ability to play vastly different roles. He was Hank McCoy/Beast in the X-Men franchise; Nux, a fanatical War Boy, in Mad Max: Fury Road; Dracula’s tormented assistant in Renfield; Tyler, a status-obsessed foodie in The Menu; and Robert Harley, a British politician and the Leader of the Opposition in Queen Anne’s court in Yorgos Lanthimos’s Oscar-winning period drama The Favourite.
In James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe, Hoult brings a sharp, layered take to one of DC’s original super-villains, Lex Luthor. He’s obsessive, determined, relentless, and ruthless—willing to use any means, including shaping public opinion and exploiting others' abilities, to outmaneuver the Man of Steel.
But did you know that Hoult once set his sights on Superman?
Esquire Philippines caught up with the actor to talk about how he landed the role, what makes this version of Lex different, and why he believes this Superman is the right hero for today.
"I spent some time with [Michael Rosenbaum], and he gave me his blessing, support, and encouragement to play the role. It was a really lovely experience to have that interaction with him beforehand."
How did you find out you’d be playing one of DC’s original supervillains, Lex Luthor, and what was that moment like?
Nicholas Hoult: I know that I wily, evilly chuckled when James [Gunn] called me to ask if I’d like to play Lex, partly because when I first read the script with James, it was to potentially play Superman. When I was reading the script, I remember having this gut or instinctive reaction while reading Luthor’s part. Something in me thought, “I think I might be more suited to play this character.” But I ignored that feeling. Then, when James called and offered me the role, it all came full circle. I instantly went back to that moment and thought, “This makes so much more sense with how I was feeling. I really should trust my instincts more.” Everything aligned the way it was meant to. It was the usual excitement, happiness, and joy, but also this funny realization: “This is how it's worked out, considering what your instincts were way back then."
What was your personal connection to Lex Luthor before joining the project—through comics, movies, or TV?
You know what? The TV show Smallville was on a lot in the UK when I was growing up—that was my first exposure. Michael Rosenbaum was the first Lex Luthor I witnessed, I suppose. So many brilliant actors have played that character over the years. But one of the nice things about stepping into this role is that Michael knows James, so we got in touch. I spent some time with him, and he gave me his blessing, support, and encouragement to play the role. It was a really lovely experience to have that interaction with him beforehand.
Reading James' script, what was your reaction to the story he wanted to tell? Were you surprised it was not a traditional Superman origin story?
No, I think that's what I loved about the script. I felt like James is a master at creating fully imagined worlds, and with this being the beginning of the new DC universe, it feels like a really rich world filled with history and wonderful character dynamics. I felt thrust into that instantly because his writing is so brilliant and you get all the wonderful things that you get from a James Gunn script—that fun back and forth and witty dialogue that's really wonderful for an actor, with a lot of heart and emotion and unexpected turns and a great scale to it as well. That’s what I think is brilliant about this movie. Yes, you see the story on screen, but it feels like there’s so much more depth to it all because of all the other workings within the universe that James is developing.
Hoult on costar David Corenswet: "David completely embodies everything it is to be Superman, and his physical transformation into Clark is remarkable."
What do you think the character of Superman represents—both in the film and in our world today?
He represents the best of what it is to be human: trying your best, embodying hope and goodness, caring for and looking after each other, and not being ashamed of that—of being pure. He accepts and embraces it, always striving to do his best. He represents all those things, I think.
You mentioned speaking with Michael Rosenbaum about the role. But how did you make the character your own?
It's interesting because there's an odd element taking on a character like this—it's been portrayed many times by wonderful actors, screen icons that I look up to outside of their portrayals as Lex. You always come back to the script, to James, and to the story—how Lex fits into this world, his motivations, manipulations, and strategies. But the fun part as an actor is exploring the different eras of the comics, discovering which stories align or resonate emotionally, and finding those that add deeper meaning to what’s on the script for you personally. I didn’t go into it thinking, “I want to do something completely different with Lex Luthor and make it my own,” because that wouldn’t be an honest approach. It was more me going, “This is the story. This is how I view Lex. Here’s what I can draw from the comics, books, and inspirations that I’m using as research.” Then putting those into something that hopefully feels really rooted and honest. And as a byproduct of all that, hopefully the character ends up being unique or different.
"He has a great way of narrating and guiding his actors through scenes, coming up with spur-of-the-moment dialogue or actions…" Hoult says of Gunn.
Your Lex has a sleek, C-suite, dashing look—not just the classic bald head. Did you collaborate with costume designer Judianna Makovsky to develop the look of the character?
The makeup team was brilliant. I had worked with Mag [Lowe] and Alexei [Dmitriew] before—they did some of the makeup for Beast in the X-Men movies. They were wonderful in terms of: I could go in and show them images from the comics and say, "This is how I view Lex." And they would do subtle bits of shading or play with different parts of my face so my look closely matches the comic version, while still keeping it natural. Of course that includes shaving my head.
And then with Judianna—she's brilliant in terms of drawing costumes that just makes you feel like the character becomes part of this world and feels authentic to all of that. She also gives subtle nods in the color palette and little details that just make you feel more and more like the character. Those things are all things that add up to it.
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Tell us about working with David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan. What makes them the perfect Superman and Lois in this film?
First of all, the dynamic between them is one of the most magical things to watch—the chemistry between them and how their characters push and pull toward each other and flip back and forth. That’s a credit to them as people, being kind and generous, but also as actors who really make those scenes bubble and fizz and come to life in a fun dynamic that feels both real and emotional. David completely embodies everything it is to be Superman, and his physical transformation into Clark is remarkable. Rachel brings such drive and fire to Lois, which is really wonderful. Great, great performances.
James brought in other heroes like Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, and Metamorpho. Without giving spoilers, how do they fit into Lex’s plans for Superman and Metropolis?
He's controlling the narrative and public opinion, and also—without getting specific—using powers of certain people to find workarounds for things. He really is playing chess, whereas others are playing checkers.
Hoult with María Gabriela de Faría (The Engineer) and Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher)
How was it like working with Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, and Anthony Carrigan?
Gaby and Sara were wonderful. Gaby’s dedication to the character—the physicality, the humanity, and what the character has given up—resulted in a powerful performance. Sara, as well, brings so much light and joy to this world, but also delivers a strong emotional punch. She gives her character a great dynamic throughout. And Anthony, who’s playing Metamorpho, is such a wonderful actor. The look and makeup of the character are incredible, and the way Anthony projects his performance through all of that is truly impressive.
Talk about your partnership with James Gunn on this film.
I really loved working with James. As I said, his script is wonderful to begin with, but beyond that, he’s very collaborative and inviting, and he creates a really supportive atmosphere to work in. He’s open to trying things but also very clear about what he needs and his vision for the story and each moment within it. He’s also very honest as a director. You feel like you’re in safe hands with someone who gives real, constructive feedback and knows what he wants. He has a great way of narrating and guiding his actors through scenes, coming up with spur-of-the-moment dialogue or actions… the unexpectedness and fun of it, and the way he guides you, are really wonderful. I had a really great experience.
One thing he did for me early on was share a part of the score for one of the connecting moments in the movie. Having that music to understand the theme of the movie, sound-wise, and then understanding the visual storytelling he was composing with cinematographer Henry Braham, allowed me to understand the heart of the movie. It was just another great thing he shared to help me see how I fit into the puzzle, I suppose.
Hoult on being a part of Superman movie: "It took me back to being a kid in the cinema, seeing something that gets seared into your memory—not just as a cinematic moment, but as a moment in your life."
What was it like to shoot in Cleveland, the home of Superman?
You know what? I only shot one scene in Cleveland, so I didn’t get the full experience. But even just arriving there, you feel like you’re stepping into history. At the airport, they have a Superman statue and a wall dedicated to the character. For me, that was also one of my last days of filming. It felt like the whole thing had come full circle in a way—finishing the story in the birthplace of Superman.
How does it feel to be in the first film from the new DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s first film to launch this new universe?
I love DC Comics, the characters, and the previous movies, and I’m very excited to be part of this iteration. Like I say, I feel that James and Peter’s combined skills, care, and heart—and the way they're approaching this world—is really special. To get to be a part of it with them is something I feel very lucky to do.
Why should audiences experience this film, and why is Superman—especially this version—the right superhero for today?
For me, there’s something about being on set where, occasionally, I felt like I was witnessing movie magic. It took me back to being a kid in the cinema, seeing something that gets seared into your memory—not just as a cinematic moment, but as a moment in your life. That’s where the love of storytelling, film, and all of it comes from. It’s an emotional reaction I can’t quite describe. And I feel like I had glimpses of that on set, where I could almost imagine watching the movie in a theater, thinking, “That’s one of those magic moments,” and remembering what those experiences have always meant to me.
There's an element of that, and then there's also, this is a Superman that I feel like I could take my son to and show him and be like, "Look at this world. Isn't it magic? Aren't all these characters exciting? And isn't the dynamics fun? But isn't there also drama and heart and real human conflict and emotions and things to overcome?" And Superman, the way David's portrayed him as a really three-dimensional, fully imagined character that just is a great person to look up to and understand and feel like exists in a hopeful way… I think all of those things combined, that's just a really fun, exciting trip to the cinema—with big action!
