Superman & Lois star Tyler Hoechlin plays Clark Kent/Kal-El in the Arrowverse (also known as The CW-verse), but that wasn't the superhero he imagined himself bringing to life growing up.

“I always say that [Superman is] not the role that I ever envisioned myself playing, but I think that’s maybe why I’m able to play it the way that I have been,” Hoechlin told Men's Health. “It’s been a lot of fun, and thankfully, it’s worked. I grew up with the idea of playing Batman, and I think if I was playing Batman, I’d be very aware that I was playing Batman. So it almost helps in the sense that, for whatever reason, this wasn’t in the forefront of my mind, and it’s made it easier to take on the role.”

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Hoechlin debuted as the Man of Steel in Supergirl Season 2 before appearing in the Arrowverse's Elseworlds and Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover events. He now stars opposite Elizabeth "Bitsie" Tulloch as Lois Lane on Superman & Lois, a series that follow the titular couple as they return to Smallville to raise their teenage sons Jonathan and Jordan. The CW renewed the show for a second season in March after its premiere episode lifted the network to its most-watched night of primetime in over two years, along with scoring the best Day 1 streaming debut ever for a new CW show.

Despite the physical challenges that come with portraying the superhero, Hoechlin hopes to play the Man of Steel for years to come. "[Superman and Lois] isn’t a movie; it’s not like a few months of prep, a few months of shooting, and you’re done. We’ve been shooting for 10 months [this season], and next year will be at least seven, and it’s going to be a yearly thing," he told Men's Health. "So I really looked forward to the challenge of not getting to that place but maintaining it for hopefully a long time.”

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Interestingly, the Arrowverse's Bruce Wayne/Batman vanished years prior to the events of Superman & Lois. Legendary voice actor Kevin Conroy played an older version of the Caped Crusader in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, while Warren Christie portrayed Tommy Elliot/Hush pretending to be Bruce Wayne in Batwoman Season 2. For now, however, there are no official plans to make Batman a recurring character in the Arrowverse.

New episodes of Superman and Lois air Tuesdays on The CW.

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Source: Men's Health