Matt Bomer claims fans never had the pleasure of seeing him don Superman’s tights in a feature film because he’s gay.
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During a June 10 episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Bomer, 46, reminisced about a time back in the the early 2000’s when he was seriously considered for the role of Clark Kent/Superman in a film that, in the end, was never produced.
“This is a very early iteration of Superman written by J.J. Abrams, called Superman: Flyby, I think is what it was called, and it never came to light,” Bomer recalled.
He joked that the Superman gig seemed so certain, that he was almost booted from his role on CBS’s Guiding Light faster than a speeding bullet.
“I went in on a cattle call for Superman,” he further detailed.“[It] turned into a one-month audition experience where I was auditioning again and again and again. On Guiding Light, there was a killer in town, so the executive producer, very kindly, wanted to free me up just in case the [Superman] job came through.
“So [the Guiding Light producer] said, ‘Hey, you’re going to be the killer. We’re writing you off the show; go with my blessing.’ I basically got fired, but in a generous way.”
Matt Bomer Recalls Signing a Three Picture Deal, All But Certain He Was Cast as Superman
“It looked like I was the director’s choice for the role,” Bomer explained. “I signed a three-picture deal at Warner Bros.”
Bomer didn’t publicly come out until years later in 2012. However, was asked if his sexual orientation influenced his casting, he responded, “Yes, that’s my understanding.”
“That was a time in the industry when something like that could still really be weaponized against you,” he admitted. “How, and why, and who, I don’t know, but yeah, that’s my understanding.”
In 2012, Bomer publicly came out as gay while accepting an honor at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, where he thanked his husband Simon Halls, and their three children.
He later mentioned on a podcast that no Superman: Flyby film was ever produced. Instead, in 2006, filmmaker Bryan Singer released Superman Returns, featuring Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel.
Of course, other high-profile actors nearly suited up in the blue tights as well. These include Nicolas Cage, who was set to star in Tim Burton’s unproduced Superman Lives. Meanwhile, Jacob Elordi, recently revealed he declined an audition for the part.
James Gunn’s Superman reboot, Superman: Legacy, is set to release next summer. It features David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan in the lead roles.