Brandon Routh | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Routh at the 2024Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | (1979-10-09)October 9, 1979 (age 46) |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa (attended) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Signature | |
 | |
Brandon Routh (/ˈraʊθ/; born October 9, 1979)[1] is an American actor. His portrayal ofSuperman in the 2006 filmSuperman Returns garnered him international fame. In 2011, he played thetitle character of the filmDylan Dog: Dead of Night. He also had a recurring role in theNBC seriesChuck, asDaniel Shaw. Routh also played a supporting role in the filmZack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), and playedTodd Ingram in the filmScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), reprising the role in the animated seriesScott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023).
In 2014, he was cast in a recurring role asRay Palmer / The Atom on the TV seriesArrow. He later played that role on two other series in theArrowverseshared universe:The Flash (a guest role) andLegends of Tomorrow (a starring role). Routh also reprised his roles as Superman and The Atom in the 2019 Arrowverse crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths". His role onLegends of Tomorrow ended in 2020, and Routh made his final appearance as the character inThe Flash in 2022.
Routh was born inDes Moines, Iowa, United States; the third of four children born to Catherine LaVaughn (née Lear; b. November 11th, 1951), a teacher, and Ronald Ray Routh (b. March 26th, 1945), a carpenter. He was raised in nearbyNorwalk.[2][3] Routh was raised in aMethodist family,[4] and has English, Scottish, German, Irish, Welsh and Dutch ancestry.[5][6]
Routh grew up in Norwalk, approximately 100 miles (160 km) south ofWoolstock, the birthplace ofGeorge Reeves, the first actor to playSuperman on television.[2] During his childhood, Routh thought a full-time acting career was unrealistic, citing his small-town background.[2] In his spare time, he played the trumpet and the piano.[2]
Routh attendedNorwalk High School,[7] where he played sports, and participated in music and theatre. He attended this school at the same time asJason Momoa, who would also later become an actor in film adaptations of DC Comics. He has described himself as a "momma's boy" and not "the most popular kid" during his school years.[8] Routh has also noted that during his younger years, he was fond of the Superman films and comic books.[9]
Routh attended theUniversity of Iowa for a year, aspiring to be a writer.[2] During this time, he modelled and acted in order to earn his tuition expenses.[2]
Routh has said he was often told that he bore a physical resemblance toChristopher Reeve, who had previously portrayed Superman in a film series.[2] His former manager signed him on because of the resemblance, telling him that he thought Routh would be cast as Superman if there were another film in the series.[8]
In 1999, Routh left the university and moved toManhattan and thenLos Angeles, where he pursued a full-time acting career, first appearing as an extra inChristina Aguilera's 1999 music video for "What a Girl Wants".[7] He was cast in his first acting role that same year, in an episode of the short-livedABC television seriesOdd Man Out. In 2000, he had a four-episode role on season 3 of MTV's nighttime soap operaUndressed. Routh subsequently appeared on theWB'sGilmore Girls (in a February 2001 episode, "Concert Interruptus", playing aBangles concert attendee), and earned steady work on the soap operaOne Life to Live, playingSeth Anderson from May 23, 2001, until April 17, 2002.
Prior to Routh's casting asSuperman in the filmSuperman Returns,Warner Bros. had spent over a decade developing a plan to relaunch thefranchise, entitled Superman Flyby, with possible stars including actors such asNicolas Cage,Josh Hartnett,Brendan Fraser,Tom Welling (who previously played a younger version of Clark Kent in the 2001–2011 TV seriesSmallville),Paul Walker,Henry Cavill (who eventually became Superman in the 2013 filmMan 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 andJames Caviezel,[10] and planned directors includingTim Burton,Wolfgang Petersen,McG,Brett Ratner, andShekhar Kapur. When directorBryan Singer came aboard the project, however, he insisted an unknown actor be cast in the part, in the tradition of the casting of the best-known film Superman,Christopher Reeve.
Routh, then 24, had previously auditioned for director McG[2] and was spotted by Singer after he viewed Routh's videotaped audition.[10] Singer, who has since stated that Routh was the embodiment of "our collective memory of Superman,"[11] was impressed by Routh's resemblance to the comic book icon and found the actor's humbleMidwestern roots perfect for the role, as well as his "combination of vulnerability and confidence", which Singer said reminded him of Christopher Reeve.[7] Singer decided to cast Routh after the two met on August 13, 2004, but did not tell Routh until two months later, when Routh's casting was announced in October 2004,[10] making him an "instant celebrity".[2]
Before filming began, Routh bulked up for the role, gaining 22 pounds to reach a high of 218 pounds. Filming forSuperman Returns began in Sydney in February 2005. The film was released in the U.S. on June 28, 2006, and earned decent reviews from most critics, but was abox office disappointment, grossing only $200 million in the US compared to its estimated budget of $270 million.[12] Routh was signed on to appear in two potential sequels, but due to mediocre box office results those never materialised.
Reviews of Routh's performance were generally positive, withNewsweek noting he "effortlessly lays claim to the iconic role."[13] On the other hand, film criticRoger Ebert felt that "Routh lacks charisma as Superman, and I suppose asClark Kent, he isn't supposed to have any."[14]
At the 2006Spike TV Awards, Routh won the award of "Best Superhero" as Superman inSuperman Returns, beating out among others,Hugh Jackman asWolverine.
In August 2008, Warner Bros. officially announced they intended to reboot the Superman franchise. Routh was still set to reprise the role, according toDC Comics presidentPaul Levitz. In 2009, however, Routh's contract to play Superman in another film expired, but he said at the time that he would like to return if given the chance.[15] However, British actorHenry Cavill was cast to play Superman in the reboot of the series,Man of Steel.
After the release ofSuperman Returns, Routh signed on to play CIA agentJohn Clark inWithout Remorse, under the direction ofJohn Singleton with a screenplay byStuart Beattie. Routh would be the third actor to portray the character, afterWillem Dafoe andLiev Schreiber. The film was intended for a late-2007/early-2008 release. However,Paramount Pictures put the film intoturnaround. Routh's future participation on the project is unknown.
Routh appeared in the independent romantic dramaFling (formerly titledLie to Me) (2008), co-starring his wifeCourtney Ford, and theensemble filmLife is Hot in Cracktown (2009).
Routh was signed to star inThe Informers (2009), anensemble film based onBret Easton Ellis'novel, withKim Basinger,Amber Heard, andBilly Bob Thornton,[16] but his scenes ended up scrapped with the decision to excise the "vampire" subplot from the film entirely.[17]
At Comic Con 2008, it was revealed Routh was to have a cameo in theKevin Smith comedyZack and Miri Make a Porno – he instead appeared as a minor character, Bobby Long – and would serve as a judge onPlatinum Studios 2008Comic Book Challenge. In addition, he has a cameo where he plays himself in theBollywood filmKambakkht Ishq (2009).
Routh playedTodd Ingram in the action comedyScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) which was directed byEdgar Wright, based on theScott Pilgrim series by Canadian artistBryan Lee O'Malley. His character is an arrogant, narcissistic bass player who derivespsychic powers from hisvegan lifestyle, and is the third of the seven Evil Exes the title character must fight.
Routh playsDaniel Shaw in season 3 of spy seriesChuck, in a recurring, supporting role. He again played this character in the show's fifth season.
He portrayed supernatural detectiveDylan Dog in the 2011 filmDylan Dog – Dead of Night.[18] The film is based on the Italian comic series created byTiziano Sclavi.[19] The film was a box office flop.
In 2012, Routh starred inDavid Kohan andMax Mutchnick'sCBS half-hour, multicamera comedy series,Partners. He playedMichael Urie's character's steady partner, alongsideDavid Krumholtz and hisTable for Three co-starSophia Bush.[20] The show was cancelled after only six episodes had aired.
In 2013, Routh appeared in the video gameCall of Duty: Ghosts. Routh has since appeared in one episode ofThe Millers and multiple episodes ofChosen andEnlisted in 2014. That same year, he starred in theHallmark Channel's Christmas-themed romantic comedyThe Nine Lives of Christmas, which drew good reviews and high ratings.
In 2014, Routh once again played a superhero forDC Comics asRay Palmer / The Atom onThe CW'sArrow. He was a recurring character throughoutseason three.[21]
In January 2015,Arrow's co-creator and executive producerGreg Berlanti stated that they were in the midst of "very early" preliminary talks for an additional spin-off series centred on Ray Palmer/The Atom.[22][23]
In the superhero seriesLegends of Tomorrow (2016–2022), Routh co-starred as The Atom, along withArthur Darvill,Wentworth Miller,Victor Garber, andCaity Lotz.[24]
Routh reprised his roles as both Ray Palmer / The Atom and as Clark Kent / Superman in the 2019–2020 Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths",[25] affected by events adapted from theKingdom Come storyline.[26] The suit he wore as Superman was based on the one worn by the storyline's version of the character.[27] The following month, it was announced that Routh would departLegends of Tomorrow as a series regular during thefifth season.[28] His final episode as a series regular was "Romeo v. Juliet: Dawn of Justness".[29]
Following this, Routh made three returns to the franchise. First, he returned toLegends for its 100th episode,[30] and toThe Flash for the first part of its season eight-opening event "Armageddon".[31] He would then return in the season's eighteenth episode, "The Man in the Yellow Tie".[32]
In 2021, Routh appeared inThe Nine Kittens of Christmas, a sequel toThe Nine Lives of Christmas. In 2023, Routh appeared in an episode ofQuantum Leap portraying a naval commander: Alexander Augustine. That same year, Routh reprised his role asTodd Ingram in theNetflix animated seriesScott Pilgrim Takes Off.
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On August 23, 2006, Brandon became engaged to his girlfriend of three years, actressCourtney Ford;[33] the couple married on November 24, 2007, at the El Capitan Ranch inSanta Barbara.[34] In 2012, the couple had a son.[35] Ford filed for divorce on January 8, 2025, citing "irreconcilable differences".[36] As of late January, it was reported that Routh and Ford had reached a divorce settlement and were submitting their paperwork to court.[37]
Routh's sister, Sara, has a musical track entitled "You're Never Gone" onSound of Superman, the soundtrack ofSuperman Returns. Routh is a fan and player of the video gameWorld of Warcraft.[38] During the 2008 Presidential election, Routh spoke at an Iowa rally in support of Democratic candidateBarack Obama.[39]
Routh's mother is a distant relative of PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt.[40]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Karla | Tim Peters | |
| Denial | Man | Short film | |
| Superman Returns | Clark Kent / Superman | ||
| Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2008 | Fling | James | Also co-producer |
| Zack and Miri Make a Porno | Bobby Long | ||
| 2009 | Life Is Hot in Cracktown | Sizemore | |
| Stuntmen | Kirby Popoff | ||
| Table for Three | Scott Teller | ||
| Kambakkht Ishq | Himself | Cameo | |
| Miss Nobody | Milo Beeber | ||
| The Informers | Bruce | Deleted scenes | |
| 2010 | Unthinkable | Agent Jackson | |
| Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | Todd Ingram | ||
| 2011 | Dylan Dog: Dead of Night | Dylan Dog | |
| Cost of Living | Silus | Short film | |
| Number Nine | John | ||
| 2012 | Crooked Arrows | Joe Logan | |
| 2014 | Missing William | James Anderson | |
| 2015 | 400 Days | Captain Theo Cooper | |
| 2016 | Lost in the Pacific | Mike | |
| 2020 | Anastasia: Once Upon a Time | Tsar Nicholas II | |
| 2024 | Ick | Hank | |
| 2025 | Fate | Sam Ellis | Post-production |
| Out of Order! | John/Jack |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Odd Man Out | Connor Williams | Episode: "You've Got Female" |
| 2000 | Undressed | Wade | 4 episodes |
| Gilmore Girls | Party Guy at Concert | Episode: "Concert Interruptus" | |
| 2001–2002 | One Life to Live | Seth Anderson | Recurring role |
| 2003 | Cold Case | Young Henry Phillips | Episode: "A Time to Hate" |
| 2004 | Will & Grace | Sebastian | Episode: "A Gay/December Romance" |
| Oliver Beene | Brian | Episode: "Dibs" | |
| 2005 | Awesometown | Officer Dino Wong | Television short |
| 2006 | The Batman | John Marlowe / Everywhere Man (voice) | Episode: "The Everywhere Man" |
| 2008 | Fear Itself | Bobby | Episode: "Community" |
| 2010–2011 | Chuck | Daniel Shaw | 12 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Partners | Wyatt Plank | 13 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Chosen | Max Gregory | 6 episodes |
| 2013 | Newsreaders | Miles Van Cleef | Episode: "Hedge Fun" |
| 2014 | The Exes | Steve | 2 episodes |
| Enlisted | Brandon Stone | 2 episodes | |
| The Millers | Officer Dixon | Episode: "Carol's Surprise" | |
| The Nine Lives of Christmas | Zachary Stone | Television film | |
| 2014–2016, 2020 | Arrow | Ray Palmer / The Atom | 21 episodes |
| 2015–2016, 2019, 2021–2022 | The Flash | 5 episodes | |
| Clark Kent / Superman (Earth-96) | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Three" | ||
| 2016–2021 | Legends of Tomorrow | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Five" | |
| Ray Palmer / The Atom | Main role (Seasons 1–5), Special guest (season 7) | ||
| 2016 | Vixen | Web series; voice role; 3 episodes | |
| Lady Dynamite | Jack Tripper | Episode: "Jack and Diane" | |
| 2017 | Vixen: The Movie | Ray Palmer / The Atom | Voice role |
| 2019 | Black-ish | Banner Copeland | Episode: "Is It Desert or Dessert?" |
| Are You Afraid of the Dark? | Theo Coscarelli | Episode: "Part Two: Opening Night" | |
| Supergirl | Ray Palmer / The Atom | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part One" | |
| Batwoman | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two"[41] | ||
| Clark Kent / Superman (Earth-96) | Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two" | ||
| 2020 | Home Movie: The Princess Bride | Westley | Episode: "Chapter Six: The Fire Swamp" |
| 2021 | The Rookie | Officer Doug Stanton | Recurring role (Season 3); 5 episodes |
| The Nine Kittens of Christmas | Zachary Stone | Television film | |
| Slugfest | Joe Simon | Roku Channel documentary series | |
| With Love | Leo | Recurring role | |
| 2023 | Quantum Leap | XO Alexander Augustine | Episode: "S.O.S." |
| Scott Pilgrim Takes Off | Todd Ingram | Voice role[42] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Superman Returns | Clark Kent / Superman | ||
| 2013 | Call of Duty: Ghosts | David "Hesh" Walker | ||
| 2018 | Lego DC Super-Villains | Ray Palmer / The Atom | [43] | |
| 2019 | Magic: The Gathering Arena | Ral Zarek |
| Year | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Christina Aguilera | "What a Girl Wants" |
| 2006 | The Lonely Island | "Part 1: The Avon Lady" |
| 2018 | Sugarland | "Babe" |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Golden Schmoes Awards | Breakthrough Performance of the Year | Superman Returns | Nominated |
| Scream Awards | Best Superhero | Won | ||
| Breakout Performance | Nominated | |||
| ShoWest Awards | Male Star of Tomorrow | Won | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Breakout Movie Star – Male | Nominated | ||
| Choice Movie Chemistry (Shared w/Kate Bosworth) | Nominated | |||
| Choice Movie Rumble | Nominated | |||
| Saturn Awards | Rising Star | Won | ||
| 2007 | Saturn Awards | Best Actor | Won | |
| Empire Awards | Best Male Newcomer | Won | ||
| 2010 | IGN Awards | Best Villain | Chuck | Won |
| Detroit Film Critics Society Awards | Best Ensemble | Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Scream Awards | Best Villain | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor: Action | Legends of Tomorrow | Nominated |
...actor Brandon Routh in 1979...
Both parties executed the deal on January 9, only one day after Courtney filed for divorce, but did not submit the agreement in court until this week.
