January 21, 2002

Michael Rosenbaum: From Lex Luthor to Han Solo?

Now starring as the chrome dome Lex Luthor in the TV hit Smallville, Michael Rosenbaum is finding that the so-called bad guy can be a chick magnet! You’ve seen him in the Urban Legend films as Parker and in the Keanu Reeves film Sweet November. He grew up in Indiana and moved to New York where he did theater until heading for indie films and TV guest shots. He played Jonathan in the Tom comedy series and plays ice hockey for kicks. We talked to him at a WB party in a trendy Italian bistro in Pasadena, California and learned that, among other goals, he’d like to play the young Han Solo in a Star Wars film Han with hair of course...

TeenHollywood: You were in The Garden of Good and Evil, right?

M: Yeah. I was the guy on the stand during the trial.

TeenHollywood: You are great as Lex but are you allowed to do films on hiatus from the show?

M: Well, I have one coming out called Sorority Boys.

TeenHollywood: Do you have hair in that one?

M: (Laughing) I wore a guy’s wig and a woman’s wig. I’m in drag. I play a guy but we have to go undercover in drag. And I have a movie called Poolhall Junkies with Christopher Walken and Chas Palmentieri. That’s on the independent circuit.

TeenHollywood: So you have time to get those in then?

M: Yeah. I want to do different roles. Now that I’m stuck as Lex Luthor I can just grow my hair back and do anything I want. I’m like a chameleon anyway. That’s what I like to do.

TeenHollywood: People don’t recognize you with hair.

M: No. My hero is Gary Oldman so if I can have one-fourth the career he has, I’ll be happy.

TeenHollywood: Are you hoping you don’t get stuck playing a bad guy. How about playing a romantic lead?

M: I’ve never really been given the chance to do the romantic lead and that’s something that once they see I can do it, it’s probably the easiest role to play.

TeenHollywood: How did you start out in the acting biz?

M: I did high school theater, college theater. I did everything and worked my way up. Shakespeare, all that. I moved to New York and did a movie called 1999 with Jennifer Garner. My first real studio film was Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, then Urban Legends.

TeenHollywood: A lot of fans are hot for the Superman character in Smallville but just as many think you are a hottie more interesting.

M: I love that. Why not? I didn’t know how people would respond but I’m very happy how it’s going.

TeenHollywood: Do you get a chance to put in your ideas for storylines or how you think Lex should be developed?

M: Well, they (producers and writers) are gifted in that regard. They do their thing and I do mine. But, sometimes I have questions on things and we work together. It’s very collaborative. I call them all the time (putting hand in "phone" pose to his ear). Hey, it’s Rosenbaum again. Can we talk? And we work it out.

TeenHollywood: What would you love to do next?

M: I want to be the young Han Solo. If George Lucas goes to teenhollywood.com and reads this, he should give me an audition. I’m the perfect young Han Solo. Let’s see what was going on with him at a young age. I’d love it! I would also like to do a romantic comedy, like a Shallow Hal. I’d love to be a Jack Black. I love comedy. It’s my forte. Drama is a lot easier than comedy, no matter what anybody tells you. Timing is the most important thing. I guess, my whole life I always thought I had comic timing. I made people laugh and I want to continue to do that.

TeenHollywood: Actors say that when they’re doing a serious scene it’s even easier to crack up.

M: I mess with everybody. When I go to a set I want everyone to be a family. I want everybody to be goofing on each other and I don’t want anybody to take themselves seriously and that’s the way it should be.

TeenHollywood: What kind of music are you into?

M: ‘70s love songs. Cheesy ‘70s and ‘80s love songs. I love Christopher Cross. Call me a freak. Call me a cheeseball but I love music like that. I love Melissa Manchester, Paul Davis. (Starts singing) "I go crazy when I look in your eyes."

TeenHollywood: Really? Hummm. At this point, I put the tape recorder down and..ha! I wish!

Interviewer and writer Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.