9 times David Corenswet’s nerdy side slipped out in interviews
These days, being called a nerd doesn't mean someone is going to steal your lunch money. It's a term of endearment. DC has a rich history of casting nerds as Superman, with Henry Cavill often being vocal about his love for the game Warhammer, but the latest Man of Steel might be the nerdiest one yet.
During the Superman press tour, we learned a lot about David Corenswet — but above all else, we discovered that he is a massive geek. From Star Wars to aviation announcements, it seems like Corenswet loves nothing more than to nerd out. So, here are the highlights of some of the best moments.
1. He won't stand for Qui-Gon Jinn erasure
In an interview with Brittany Broski, the conversation quickly turned to Star Wars. It wasn't long before Corenswet and Broski were engaging in a heated debate over whether Anakin Skywalker turning to the Dark Side was "valid." For Corenswet, the failure can be traced back to his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
@fijitfilm Superman gets real about Anakin’s fall ???? David Corenswet breaks down why Skywalker never stood a chance—on Brittany Broski’s Royal Court podcast. #StarWars #AnakinSkywalker #DavidCorenswet #TheRoyalCourt #Superman #NerdTalk #BrittanyBroski #Fijit ♬ original sound - Fijit
"[Obi-Wan Kenobi] wasn't the one who was supposed to train Anakin; that was supposed to be Qui-Gon," he pointed out. "Qui-Gon had the experience and the instinct and, frankly, the love, which, you know, in the Jedi Order is not terribly encouraged. Qui-Gon went against the Order in feeling this great love for the kid and having this sense, and if it had been Qui-Gon, you know, it probably would've gone better."
2. He watches the Star Wars movies in a unique way
Also during his Broski interview, Corenswet revealed that he watches the Star Wars movies in the following order:
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Fans of the franchise refer to this watching order as "The Machete Order," showing that Corenswet isn't just a dedicated fan — he's also not afraid to mix things up.
3. His big dream? To play a Jedi Knight
During Vanity Fair's lie detector interview, Corenswet was asked a crucial question: would he rather return for a Superman sequel or play a Jedi Knight?
To castmate Nicholas Hoult's surprise, Corenswet chose the latter, joking: "In the end, as many things do, it came down to the money. I’m already under contract for a sequel, but I’d be fresh negotiating with Star Wars."
4. He has a very specific New Year's tradition
Also during his Vanity Fair interview, Corenswet shared one of his favorite festive traditions: watching the original Star Wars trilogy on New Year's Eve, ensuring that he's watching the second Death Star explode as the clock strikes midnight.
"There's food involved as well," he added. "It's a wonderful tradition." Can we get an invite, Dave?
5. His first love was Spider-Man
Like many of us, Corenswet was raised on Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, which starred Tobey Maguire as the web-slinger. During an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, he revealed that this iteration of Spidey was a huge influence on him as he grew up.
“Those were the movies I saw in theaters and were really relevant to me… you’re a nerd who gets bullied and then you get these amazing powers,” he said.
6. His other first love was Padme from the Star Wars prequels
During an interview with Everyman, the subject soon turned to first movie crushes. And for Corenswet, the answer was obvious: "Natalie Portman in the Star Wars prequels," he said, quickly.
In the Star Wars prequels, Natalie Portman plays Padme Amidala, the wife of Anakin Skywalker and mother to Luke and Leia. And it looks like David wants to be her Anakin.
7. He went on a monologue about comic book movies
When he earned the role of Superman, James Gunn encouraged Corenswet to read All-Star Superman, and based on an interview with GamesRadar, it's safe to say the star learned a lot from the experience.
"There's something cool about, in the same way when you play a great character in theater who's been played by great actors before you, you don't really get the chance to go back and see their performances and be inspired by their performances," he began, "But when you read the play, and you get your inspiration from the same words that they got their inspiration from, there's a nice little spiritual connection through time there."
"For me, it was focusing on drawing inspiration from All-Star Superman, the comic that James [Gunn] sort of pointed us to," he added. "And in looking at that – not that all the Supermans before me have read that comic – but I saw some things that I recognized in other actors' portrayal of the character. But in drawing it from the comics rather than from the other performances, I felt confident that it would become my own interpretation, and I would find things that would be overlapping, but ultimately distinct from previous actors."
TLDR: He's a stickler for comic-accurate characterization.
8. He's an aviation geek
During an interview with Nerdist, Corenswet was asked what he nerded out about. After he and Rachel Brosnahan brought up Star Wars (again), they revealed that the Superman actor has another passion: the aviation industry.
"I will listen to air traffic control recordings on YouTube for hours and hours and hours," he admitted.
9. He headcanons Superman as a nerd
In a chat with Comic Book Resource, Corenswet reiterated that Gunn encouraged him to read All-Star Superman.
"I was frankly a little bit confused by James's script the first time I read it, and we didn't get to talk about it very much because of the strikes until we got close to filming," he began. "So the fact that he had told me, even before I was cast, that All-Star Superman was one of his guiding lights was super helpful because the thing that I found in that was, I guess, the gentle nerdiness of Superman."
He explained, "I love seeing when he goes into his Fortress of Solitude that he's got a man cave. Not in the way that…it's not a Bat Cave. He's got his technology and stuff, but it's mostly all of these relics and fun things that he's gotten to collect because he does what he does."
So, while Superman is often thought of as the opposite of nerdiness, we can probably look forward to more scenes of Corenswet's Superman geeking out in his man cave.
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