Look, up… his name on Google.
Worldwide interest in David Corenswet skyrocketed after the Superman trailer was released on Dec. 19, the new film from James Gunn that stars the young actor as the famed man of steel. Corenswet, 31, may not be a household name like former Superman actors Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill, but he’s been a star on the rise over the past decade.
So, who is David Corenswet? Below, we list the five film and TV projects in which you’ve seen the new Superman in action — plus the one appearance you likely blocked from your memory.
Lady in the Lake (2024)
In the recent Apple TV+ limited series, a bearded Corenswet plays Allan Durst, the bereaved father of a young girl who is killed. In one stand-out scene, he angrily confronts Natalie Portman‘s journalist character, Maddie Schwartz, at a Hanukkah party and suggests that she’s using the death of his daughter to sell newspapers. Corenswet will be eligible at the 2025 Emmys for Lady in the Lake. Watch a clip:
Twisters (2024)
The ostensible remake of 1996’s beloved Twister features Corenswet in the antagonistic role of Scott, a business partner of Javi (Anthony Ramos), who starts chasing storms with Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones). Scott, Kate, and Javi join up in Oklahoma, where they are hoping to take advantage of a predicted tornado outbreak. While shooting Twisters, Corenswet found out he’d been cast as the new Superman, and his cast could hardly contain their excitement. Watch below:
Pearl (2022)
This fan-fave horror film set in 1918 finds Corenswet as an unnamed projectionist who begins a relationship with an aspiring young actress named Pearl (Mia Goth). She also happens to be a serial killer in the making. SPOILERS When Corenswet’s well-dressed character grows tired of her strange antics, Pearl freaks out and stabs him to death with a pitchfork. Ouch! Pearl serves as the second installment in filmmaker Ti West‘s horror series, in between X (2022) and MaXXXine (2024), with Corenswet’s projectionist only appearing in this one. Watch a clip:
SEE New Superman photo: James Gunn shares first image of David Corenswet in costume as the Man of Steel
Hollywood (2020)
Corenswet received major Emmy buzz for his breakout role as Jack Castello, a World War II veteran who moves to Hollywood to become an actor in Ryan Murphy‘s period limited series. Alas, he was ultimately snubbed for his work on the Netflix program, though his co-stars Jeremy Pope, Holland Taylor, Dylan McDermott, and Jim Parsons did receive Emmy bids. (Corenswet made do with a nomination at the Black Reel Awards.) In Gold Derby’s video interview with the actor, he admitted that he loved working on Hollywood because “You just get to feel like there’s hope for the future. You get to cheer [the characters] on to their happy ending.” Watch below:
The Politician (2019-20)
The actor’s first project with Murphy was this Netflix dramedy centered around Ben Platt‘s Payton Hobart, an ambitious young man with political aspirations beyond his years. Corenswet takes on the role of River Barkley, Payton’s ex-lover and his current opponent for student body president, who — spoiler alert! — dies by suicide in the first episode. River’s ghost then proceeds to haunt Payton for the next two seasons, until the poorly reviewed show was ultimately put out of its misery. Watch a clip:
And then there’s …
House of Cards (2018)
After Kevin Spacey was fired from Netflix’s political thriller due to sexual misconduct allegations, the streamer decided to produce a shortened final season centered on Robin Wright. Corenswet played Reed in the penultimate episode, a former lover of Wright’s future President Claire Underwood, whom we see only in a flashback. Reed tries to convince a 21-year-old Claire (played by Willa Fitzgerald) to turn down Frank Underwood’s marriage proposal, but she refuses. Spacey’s shadow lingered over the entire season, and it just wasn’t the same show without his conniving character calling the shots. No one would blame you for blocking the whole season out of your memory, including Corenswet’s brief appearance.
James Gunn’s Superman is out in theaters on July 11, 2025. Besides Corenswet, other cast members include Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Wendall Pierce as Perry White, and Skylar Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen.
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