Matt Bomer Says He Lost Superman Role For Being Gay
Image: Source: Star Observer archives
Matt Bomer has claimed he missed out on playing Superman on the big screen due to his sexuality.
Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Awards Chatter’ podcast, the White Collar star said: “It looked like I was the director’s choice for the role.
“This is a very early iteration of Superman written by J.J. Abrams, called Superman: Flyby, I think is what it was called, and it never came to light.”
Axed from Guiding Light role
The Superman job looked so certain that he was written out of his soap opera role on Guiding Light.
“I went in on a cattle call for Superman, and then it turned into a one-month audition experience where I was auditioning again and again and again.
“On Guiding Light, there was a killer in town, so the executive producer, very kindly, wanted to free me up just in case the [Superman] job came through.
“So [the Guiding Light producer] said, ‘Hey, you’re going to be the killer. We’re writing you off the show; go with my blessing.’ I basically got fired, but in a generous way.”
Matt Bomer lost role due to his sexuality
The Hollywood Reporter asked Bomer, who came out publicly in 2012, if his sexuality was a factor in the studio’s reluctance to hire him.
“Yeah, that’s my understanding. That was a time in the industry when something like that could still really be weaponised against you. How, and why, and who, I don’t know, but, yeah, that’s my understanding.”
Bomer also claimed the role was linked to a three picture deal he’d recently signed with Warner Bros.
Superman: Flyby never materialised. After significant retooling it became 2006’s Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer and featuring Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel.
At the time Superman: Flyby (AKA Superman: Man of Steel) was one of several aborted Superman projects developed between 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and Superman Returns.
Brett Ratner was hired to direct the project, and, indeed, Bomer was Ratner’s choice for the role.
Jackie Collins chimes in
In 2012 late author Jackie Collins told Gaydar Radio:
“Matt Bomer, who is the most gorgeous looking guy and the star of White Collar, he had not come out of the closet, but people in the know knew he was gay.
“His audition tape went in and he called up the agent and somebody didn’t like him and told [the producers] he was gay. They said ‘No, no, we can’t cast you.’ The reason he didn’t get cast was because he was gay.”
A source told E! News at the time: “Matt was Brett’s Superman. He would never have not cast Matt because he’s gay. Brett knew Matt was gay. They’re good friends. Matt not being Superman had nothing to do with his sexuality. It was because the director changed.”
However, Bomer did eventually end up playing Clark Kent – voicing the role in the animated Superman: Unbound film in 2013.
