Michael Rosenbaum Discusses His Smallville Departure

Michael Rosenbaum paid a visit to his friend Katee Sackhoff‘s podcast Blah Blah Blah with Katee Sackhoff for an hour-plus-long discussion about careers, life, on-screen kisses, and more. The part that might matter most to Smallville fans, though, is that Michael talked about his departure from the show after Season 7 as well as being known as the best Lex Luthor (a sentiment shared on this very website).

On the podcast, Michael discusses how he was originally only contracted for six seasons but did extend it to include a seventh. When the time came to sign on beyond that, he was ready to leave, but Warner Bros. Television President Peter Roth wanted to meet him for lunch, ostensibly to make an offer. Even though Michael had worked for Roth for over a decade, the interaction was “like the first time he ever met me,” Michael says.

According to Michael, Peter Roth proposed a three-year deal… for the exact same amount of money he was getting on his previous contract. “That was it,” he says. After that, he didn’t want to counter, and didn’t care what they’d offer afterward.  “That was it. I knew I had to respect myself, and it wasn’t worth it,” he recalls.

Which isn’t to say Smallville was a bad experience, despite having to play the same character for so many years. He always committed to and respected the role… and if people say he’s “known mostly as Lex Luthor,” that’s okay.

“F**k, yeah,” he says about that response. “If I’m known for that, and that’s the only thing in my life… that’s not awesome? I used to think ‘I’ve gotta do something better…’ How are you going to be better than playing a great character like that on a great show for so many years? Just to be lucky enough to be on a great show and be good in something is amazing. I honestly like that that’s how I’ll be remembered. That’s the best thing ever.”

At one point, Katie Sackhoff brings up the notion that many have named Michael as their favorite Lex Luthor — while Michael himself lists Gene Hackman as his favorite, the topic did also cover how even new DC Studios head (and personal friend to Michael) James Gunn has said that he was his favorite Lex Luthor. “It’s cool to see your peers and people you respect and admire, and your friends say that,” Michael says.

Michael isn’t Lex in the new Superman: Legacy film – that will be Nicholas Hoult – but Michael describes director James Gunn as “brilliant.” “I hope it’s brilliant,” he says about the movie, too. But no – it’s a different direction, and his friendship with Gunn doesn’t mean he would be guaranteed a part like that.

“That’s a thing that people think about this industry. They think you’re gonna meet someone and become friends with them, and they’re just gonna put you in everything. That does not happen. I’m here to say that that does not happen. It doesn’t mean that they’re not thinking of you; just [that] they have a vision for their projects, and sometimes it just doesn’t fit in their mind,” he says. (Gunn did use Michael in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, however, where he played Martinex.)

The entire podcast is a good listen; you can check it out embedded below.