While Tom Welling famously only wore the Superman costume in the final moment of Smallville's 10-season run, he got Christopher Reeve's vote to play the hero properly.

As part of its oral history on the show to celebrate 20 years since it debutedThe Hollywood Reporter spoke to the cast and creators of the series. When asked about Reeve, who guest-starred as Dr. Virgil Swann in multiple episodes of the show, beginning in the Season 2 episode "Rosetta," Welling said it was an incredible experience.

"If you watch that episode, [Reeve] is so commanding given his situation. He can’t move yet he is so compelling," Welling said. "All that added to Clark’s emotion about what was happening."

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The actor went on to reveal that Reeve was all for Welling playing Superman on the series. But with Superman Returns hitting theaters soon, it was likely never going to happen.

"I remember in the end he says to me, 'I’m really glad they chose you to be the next Superman.' I was like, 'Well, they didn’t.” That’s when Brandon [Routh] had gotten the role [in the 2006 film Superman Returns]. And he said, 'Well they should have.' I get chills thinking about that. It was so cool to feel like he had put the sword on my shoulders and knighted me somehow. It was very special."

Though the Brandon Routh film likely nixed plans for Clark Kent to suit and up and take the mantle of Superman, that wasn't the only reason Welling mostly just played Clark. The show had, from its inception, an infamous "no tights, no flight" rule. While Clark would wear an outfit to fight villains later in the run, it wasn't until the last moments of the series finale that he revealed the proper costume under his suit and a CGI version of the character flew off.

Welling spoke about the decision back in 2017, saying, "We jumped onto this idea that at the end of the show, the idea is that Clark becomes Superman and he’s out there, and we know he’s out there, but we can’t go with him, but that we know and we feel good that he’s out there doing good. I hope the audience didn’t feel like we didn’t show them something that they needed to see. I felt like we gave them the jumping-off point for their imagination as to what could happen."

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A comic book continuation of the story would see the show's version of Clark operating as Superman, and those adventures seem set to continue in the upcoming animated revival of Smallville.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter