Late last year, Warner Bros. shook up its DC Comics universe when it announced it’d be wiping its superhero slate clean (more or less), ditching daddy Henry Cavill in the process who’d been playing Superman since 2013’s Man Of Steel.
With Guardians Of The Galaxy and The Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn at the helm of DC Studios, the big idea was to hit reset and bring some young blood into the massive franchise, starting with “Supes,” a.k.a. Clark Kent in the movie Superman: Legacy.
Naturally, Hollywood’s been abuzz over who might don the red cape next, following in the footsteps of the hunky Cavill, the one-off Brandon Routh (2006’s Superman Returns), and Hollywood legend Christopher Reeve, who originated the role on the big screen in the ’70s.
Per a new report from Variety, one of the latest names to step into the fray is former soap star Pierson Fodé, an actor who piqued our interest because, well…. look at him!
Born in small-town Washington, it’s said that Fodé began producing and starring in his own amateur films as a teenager, then moved out to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career the first chance he got.
His earliest credits include a guest role in Nickelodeon’s iCarly, the web soap Runaway, and a five-episode arc on the Disney Channel’s Jessie. The 31-year-old’s biggest break came in 2015 when he joined CBS’s long-running soap The Bold And The Beautiful as powerful playboy heir Thomas Forrester.
More recently, his credits include the Dynasty reboot, workplace sitcom Tacoma FD, the Netflix action-comedy The Man From Toronto, and, interestingly, The CW’s Supergirl—so he’s well-versed in the people of Krypton.
But, for our purposes, Fodé’s most notable past role was a little-seen 2015 rom-com called Naomi And Ely’s No Kiss List in which he played gay!
Based on a book from the writers of Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist (if that title didn’t give it away), the movie is about two BFFs—a straight girl (Victorious‘ Victoria Justice) and a gay guy (Fodé)—who have similar taste in men. Therefore, they instated the eponymous “no kiss list” to ensure certain guys are off limits as a way to avoid any drama.
Things get complicated, however—they always do—when Naomi and Ely crush on the same guy. It also doesn’t help that Naomi has long harbored feelings for her bestie, hoping he’d one day “go straight” for her.
Look, we’re not going to sit here and tell you this is an amazing, must-watch movie. But! If you want to see the gorgeous Fodé go gay-for-pay, kiss men, and be frequently shirtless, then there are worse ways to spend 90 minutes!
So, what does this have to do with Superman? Well, nothing, to be honest—we just like the idea that the new Clark Kent has some gay history and is, at the very least, and LGBTQ+ community. He was even cast in the original pilot of Netflix’s upcoming queer comedy Glamorous, back when it was going to be a series on The CW.
Plus, if we’re being generous, Fodé is a pretty charming screen presence in Naomi And Ely’s No Kiss List. And, per James Gunn, the new Supes should have “the kindness and the compassion that Superman has and be somebody who you want to give a hug.”
We certainly wouldn’t mind giving Fodé a hug.
Whether he gets the part is still up in the air—and it may be a minute until we know either way. So, in the meantime, please enjoy some photos of Pierson Fodé that prove why he’s got what it takes to be the new Man Of Steel.