August 2002

Up, Up, and Away

Michael Rosenbaum plays Lex Luthor.

Question: How would you describe the relationship between Lex and Clark?

Michael Rosenbaum: I think Lex sees something special in Clark. He's a good judge of character and I think Clark is this awkward kid in school who no one really understands, and Lex sees something beyond that which Clark really appreciates.

Q: In the Superman comics were Clark and Lex initially friends before they became enemies?

MR: Yes, as far as I know, they were best friends.

Q: Did you shave your head for the role of Lex Luthor?

MR: I had no choice, really. It was kind of an ultimatum. "You want to be Lex Luthor? Shave your head then." You got to take some risks as an actor, and this was one of them. I had no big dents in my head, which was a good thing, and the hair grows back.

Q: What did you think when you first saw your bald head?

MR: We videotaped it! It was shaved strip by strip. I had the mohawk last, and I was like, "Do you guys see any bumps? Any scars?" "No, you're good." Except I have a nodule [in the back of the head] but I think it's kind of cool for the character, and the doctor says it's not cancerous!

Q: What did your friends and family think?

MR: My dad laughed. He goes, "You look like an idiot." I was kind of hurt by it, honestly. [laughs]

Q: Do the Smallville hair and makeup people maintain your baldness?

MR: Yeah, they buy all the skin products, the hair products. I don't really need that much, just a lot of aloe. And they shave it. I make sure they get a Mach III razor!

Q: Are you used to having a bald head now?

MR: It's just become part of me, you know? The aesthetics of it all. I just love it when people come up and touch my head, and I love taking showers now, and the change of temperature.

Q: How did you feel being told you were perfect for the role of Lex Luthor?

MR: I was like, "Oh, I'm going to play this evil, evil guy." And I read the script and I was like, "Wait a minute--he's got some humility, he's got this kindness, this likeability." It's cool to play him before he becomes evil, before we see the changes he goes through.

Q: What are you looking forward to discovering about Lex?

MR: As it goes on, I want people to see that he's smart, that he's well-read, that he means well, and if you build the strength of the relationship between Clark and Lex and it becomes stronger and stronger, when they become enemies you understand why. It has more of an impact.

Michael Rosenbaum

Born: July 11, 1972
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Did You Know? Before shaving his head, Michael tried a skull cap but thought it looked ridiculous! "I looked like a cone-head," he admits.