DVD Corner

Top 5 Lex Luthor Actors In Film And TV

I pondered doing a top 5 Superman actors list in honor of the release of 2025’s “Superman,” but let’s be real, there’s Christopher Reeve and there’s everyone else. Instead, I went with the more intriguing option with Lex Luthor. Below I have listed my personal top 5 Lex Luthor actors in film and TV (animation projects included). 

1. Michael Rosenbaum- “Smallville” may have been about Clark Kent’s journey, but it was Lex who stole the show. From his interactions with other characters to his transition into becoming the villain, Rosenbaum truly made the character his own. He’s the gold standard for Lex.

2. Gene Hackman- The late great actor may have refused to shave his head for the role, but he was still the best Lex in the film world. He was always conniving yet personable.

3. Clancy Brown- Clancy Brown has crafted a long and varied career in live-action and animation. In “Superman: The Animated Series,” Brown gave new dimensions to Lex and is still the best voice actor of the character to date.

4. Kevin Spacey- Spacey’s take on Lex was much more sinister with his unhinged global plan and his more vengeful actions towards Superman.

5. Jon Cryer- I pondered putting Nicholas Hoult here as he brought a tactical ferocity to the role, but I think we need a little more time with him first so I went with Jon Cryer in his place. This could have easily been a bit of nostalgic stunt casting given that Cryer played Lenny Luthor in “Superman 4: The Quest For Peace,” but Cryer took the job seriously and put his own maniacal spin on Lex for the Arrowverse. His best performances were arguably in the “Crisis On Infinite Earths” event series.

July 11, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | List | Arrow verse, Clancy Brown, Gene Hackman, Jon Cryer, Kevin Spacey, Lex Luthor, Michael Rosenbaum, Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series, Top 5 Lex Luthor Actors In Film And TV