# What \*black\* actor would you cast as...Superman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514 "2014-04-19T23:02:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/41 "2014-04-20T13:40:19Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Kirk Lazarus. hehe 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/42 "2014-04-20T14:15:53Z")
I had to look him up because I couldn’t remember his name, but I’d go with “Law and Order” era [Richard Brooks](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1444462/?ref_=nv_sr_1). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/43 "2014-04-20T14:43:46Z")
Black Dynamite himself, Michael Jai White. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/44 "2014-04-20T15:45:37Z")
Richard Pryor. Sort of put an everyman spin on superman. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/45 "2014-04-20T16:15:37Z")
What a delightful ensemble of decaying old men and actors nobody’s heard from since the 90s. How about [Charles](http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2013/04/16/10925455/Charles%20Michael%20Davis%20umbrella.jpg) [Michael](http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad313/zxysoul/CharlesMichaelDavisiHeartRadioUltimate1r_f3a84CW3x_zpsb057077e.jpg) [Davis](http://vampirediaries.alloyentertainment.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/the-originals-panel-at-comic-con/charles-michael-davis-at-sdcc-2013.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/46 "2014-04-20T16:36:48Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Dunno if [Donald Glover](http://adventuretime.wikia.com/wiki/Donald_Glover)could play Supes, but he’d be a great Clark Kent. I don’t know Glover, but you always want to cast for the secret identity. Anyone can put on a costume, but you need an actor for behind the mask/cape. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/47 "2014-04-21T03:03:12Z")
[Calvin Ellis](http://superman.wikia.com/wiki/Calvin_Ellis) Seriously though, [Taye Diggs](http://www.vh1.com/celebrity/bwe/images/2011/02/Taye_Diggs.jpg). He can even do [Clark Kent](http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/my1073fm.com/files/2011/06/TayeDiggs_FrazerHarrison.jpg)… ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/48 "2014-04-21T04:11:18Z")
[Mehcad Brooks](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehcad_Brooks) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/49 "2014-04-21T04:25:34Z")
Chiwetel Ejiofor is a great actor but Superman has to be at least somewhat tall and big. He doesn’t have to be gigantic, but Ejiofor is 5’10" or so and thin. The truth is that the ideal black Superman would probably be someone nobody had heard of, just as few people had ever heard of Christopher Reeve. If we’d had this discussion around a table in a bar in 1977 saying “who should play Superman” the answers would have been people like Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight and Paul Newman, all of whom would have been inferior choices to Reeve, who was cast - correctly - not because he was Christopher Reeve, but because he was so damn good at being Superman. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/50 "2014-04-21T04:30:02Z")
Flip Wilson. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/51 "2014-04-21T05:34:26Z")
I’ll third Dwayne Johnson. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/52 "2014-04-21T05:56:21Z")
The literature teacher in the 60s series Room 222. Lloyd Haynes, I think. Neither Washington nor Smith will cut it. Denzel looks too mean and sharp. And there’s nothing “super” about Will’s face in terms of features and deportment. I’d sooner get Forest Whitaker. As backup, that action trio in the 70s: Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Richard Roundtree. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/53 "2014-04-21T10:58:01Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > What a delightful ensemble of decaying old men and actors nobody’s heard from since the 90s. In his spare time from supporting roles in a couple of remarkably successful movies last year, Dwayne Johnson played leading man in a couple of _other_ successful movies last year, which is why his **Hercules** movie is set to hit theaters later this year. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/54 "2014-04-21T11:06:25Z")
No love for Samuel L. Jackson? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/55 "2014-04-21T11:07:14Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > No love for Samuel L. Jackson? As Jor-El, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/56 "2014-04-21T11:29:39Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > No love for Samuel L. Jackson? Post #5. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/57 "2014-04-21T16:43:47Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Chiwetel Ejiofor is a great actor but Superman has to be at least somewhat tall and big. He doesn’t have to be gigantic, but Ejiofor is 5’10" or so and thin. > > The truth is that the ideal black Superman would probably be someone nobody had heard of, just as few people had ever heard of Christopher Reeve. If we’d had this discussion around a table in a bar in 1977 saying “who should play Superman” the answers would have been people like Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight and Paul Newman, all of whom would have been inferior choices to Reeve, who was cast - correctly - not because he was Christopher Reeve, but because he was so damn good at being Superman. Burt Reynolds as Superman? That woulda been awesome. I can just picture Norm McDonald now. Chomping on the gum. “Yah. I’m Superman. Sure, I fly around and stuff. Hey, Lois Lane, c’mere. Gonna save the planet now.” As for Chiwetel… c’mon. Can’t any of our heroes be 'Murrican anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/58 "2014-04-21T17:16:03Z")
> [@johnspartan](#): > > I can just picture Norm McDonald now. Chomping on the gum. “Yah. I’m Superman. Sure, I fly around and stuff. Hey, Lois Lane, c’mere. Gonna save the planet now.” The episode of the family Guy where he was the voice of the Grim Reaper was pretty awesome - I can see where you’re goin with this. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/59 "2014-04-21T17:16:52Z")
[Dwayne Johnson already played Superman, kind of.](http://www.trilulilu.ro/video-divertisment/the-rock-is-superman) ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514/60 "2014-04-21T17:21:14Z")
OK… I’ll say it, Robert Townsend. He was Meteor Man after all, so he should have a leg up on the source material, right? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-black-actor-would-you-cast-as-superman/686514.md?page=4)