Krypton was a premier presentation at this year’s WonderCon convention in Anaheim, California, and while there, KryptonSite had the opportunity to interview several members of the show’s cast including Superman’s grandfather himself, or rather, the actor who plays him, Cameron Cuffe.
On Krypton, Cuffe plays Seg-El, Superman’s ancestor on the planet Krypton who has seen his family shamed and left rankless in Kryptonian society. In the series premiere which aired March 21 on Syfy, Seg learned that his grandfather, Val-El, had access to some knowledge that other Kryptonians did not want spread… and also, he gained an opportunity to again be ranked, as a member of House Vex. Of course, these new opportunities don’t come without consequence, as Seg’s parents were both killed in the series premiere. Seg also learned that a collector of worlds called Brainiac is on the way.
With a new episode airing tonight (March 28) at 10PM ET/PT on Syfy, now seemed a good opportunity to share our interview with the young actor. We’ve got video below, but if you’d prefer to read, this can come first!
KRYPTONSITE’S CRAIG BYRNE: Being a life-long Superman fan, what was the first aspect of the script that made you be like “oh my gosh?”
CAMERON CUFFE: Gosh. Wow. There were so many things.
Obviously, just to be playing in this universe; just to be part of something that is so huge is such an honor. I think probably the Fortress of Solitude – that was the thing that was like “wow. We’re really doing this. This is really part of the mythology.” And stepping onto that set for the first time, and actually being there, that was probably the thing for me where all of my nerd senses were tingling.
Were you surprised you heard the Superman movie fanfare in the pilot?
Yes. I got chills. Hair-raising, you know? And that’s the thing: We have such an awesome legacy to play with it, and we should use that. We’ve gotta own it like it’s a beautiful, wonderful thing. This show is a show that’s made by people who are passionate about Superman and passionate about the mythology, and hopefully that reads through.
Bad things are coming up for people who are not Seg. Can you tease any of that?
The thing that I will say is that this is a show that has ramifications. All the toys aren’t put back in the box; there’s no show where the gang gets back together at the base and goes and finds this week’s villain. Everything – every episode ends with a massive status quo shift, and characters have to feel the consequence of their actions.
What can you tease about the future of Seg with joining Nyssa’s House Vex?
Seg feels like he’s been swooped up into many different worlds that he knows nothing about, and he discovers that there’s slightly more to Nyssa than meets the eye, so I can’t really get a read on that. Seg is a con man. He’s a career con man. He’s meant to read people for a living, and Nyssa is the only person he can’t get a read on, so it’s a really interesting dynamic.
What’s coming up with Seg and Lyta?
Their relationship is tested. So much has happened in this world. There were already forces that were trying to drive them apart, and now they’re going to have to fight even harder, and trust is brought into the equation.
What was your feeling when you got here to Wondercon and saw the big banners of your entire cast outside?
That was so amazing. It’s just one of those things that… I’m speechless, really.
If people haven’t seen the show yet, why should they get caught up?
Any way you can, on the biggest screen you can… this show, it’s made by people who are desperately fond of this character, who love this mythology. We’re taking a deeper dive than any other media on Krypton before, and we feel we are making something that’s different. This is not a CW show. This is not the DCEU. We’re forging our own journey forward while paying tribute to things that have come before, and we’re not afraid to make things our own.
The second episode of Krypton, “House of El,” airs March 28 at 10PM ET/PT on Syfy. Take a look at more of our Krypton video interviews here!