The Varied Fates of the Smallville Cast 25 Years On

Twenty-five years after its premiere, the cast of the popular superhero drama Smallville has experienced a wide spectrum of life events, from continued acting careers and new ventures to legal entanglements and controversial associations.

The series, which followed a young Clark Kent before he became Superman, aired for 10 seasons from 2001 to 2011, first on The WB and later on The CW Network. While it launched many of the young actors into stardom, their lives after the show's conclusion have been marked by diverse and sometimes tumultuous paths.

Tom Welling (Clark Kent)

Tom Welling, who played the titular role of Clark Kent, also secured roles in films like Cheaper By The Dozen and The Fog while the show was airing. After Smallville ended, he continued acting in projects such as Parkland, Draft Day, The Choice, and the series Lucifer. He reprised his role as Clark Kent for an episode of Batwoman and appeared in The Winchesters. In 2022, Welling and co-star Michael Rosenbaum launched the podcast Talkville, dissecting each episode of the show. An animated sequel series was also in development, but Welling recently stated that Warner Bros. has not approved the project.

Welling married model Jamie White in 2002, divorcing in 2013. He then married Jessica Lee in 2019, with whom he has two sons. He largely maintains a private life in Northern California. In May 2025, initial DUI charges against Welling were dropped, and he pleaded no contest to a lesser charge. More recently, he inadvertently shared a naked reflection in a hotel window on social media while attending New York Comic Con.

Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang)

Kristin Kreuk, who played Clark's first love Lana Lang for eight seasons, moved on to roles in Beauty & the Beast, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, and the legal drama Burden of Truth. She also launched her own production company. Kreuk took a break from acting to earn a bachelor's degree from Queen's University and moved back to her native Vancouver, Canada, stating a preference for living and working in her home country.

In 2018, it was revealed that Kreuk had been involved with the NXIVM self-improvement group for seven years. She denied recruiting others or experiencing illegal activity, stating she joined seeking help for shyness and was horrified by the group's later revelations about sex trafficking and branding. She expressed deep embarrassment for her association with NXIVM.

Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor)

Michael Rosenbaum, who portrayed Clark's complex best friend Lex Luthor, also lent his voice to animated characters like The Flash and Kid Flash. His acting credits include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Vol. 3, and he directed and wrote the comedy Back in the Day. Rosenbaum hosts the podcast Inside of You and, with Tom Welling, co-hosts Talkville. He also has a reality series in development with Jon Heder.

Sam Jones III (Pete Ross)

Sam Jones III, who played Clark's friend Pete Ross for the first three seasons, appeared in shows like ER and Blue Mountain State, and films such as Glory Road. His career was significantly impacted when he was arrested in 2009 in connection with a drug trafficking case. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell Oxycodone and served a one-year sentence, released in October 2012. A sex tape with his then-girlfriend also leaked in 2010. Jones has not acted since 2018 and appears focused on fitness.

Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan)

Allison Mack, who played Chloe Sullivan for most of the series' run, later appeared in the sitcom Wilfred. Like Kristin Kreuk, Mack became involved in NXIVM, moving to Albany to be closer to the organization and its leader, Keith Raniere. In 2018, she was arrested and charged with racketeering and sex trafficking conspiracy. She pleaded guilty in 2019 and admitted to obtaining compromising material on women to blackmail them into sexual acts with Raniere. Mack was sentenced to three years in prison and released in July 2023. She expressed deep regret for her role in the cult and apologized to the victims.

Annette O'Toole (Martha Kent)

Annette O'Toole, who played Clark's adoptive mother Martha Kent, had previously appeared as Lana Lang in Superman III. After Smallville, she acted in series such as Halt and Catch Fire, The Punisher, and Virgin River. O'Toole also has a music career, collaborating with her husband, Michael McKean, on songs for films, including the Oscar-nominated track "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow."

John Schneider (Jonathan Kent)

John Schneider, who played Jonathan Kent, already had a significant career from The Dukes of Hazzard and country music. Post-Smallville, he appeared in Nip/Tuck, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and The Haves and the Have Nots. He owns John Schneider Studios and has produced independent films. He competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2018. Schneider has been married four times, most recently to Alicia Allain, who passed away from breast cancer in 2023, and then to Dee Dee Sorvino in July 2024. He faced legal issues for failing to pay alimony, serving a short jail sentence in 2018. Schneider also drew public scrutiny for controversial comments made on social media and in interviews regarding political figures and music artists.

John Glover (Lionel Luthor)

John Glover, who played Lex's father Lionel Luthor, had a recurring role before becoming a main cast member. His later work includes the films Shazam! and We Go On, and the series Fear the Walking Dead and Evil. He has also had a notable stage career and is a successful audiobook narrator. Glover, who is openly gay, married sculptor Adam Kurtzman in 2016.

Erica Durance (Lois Lane)

Erica Durance's breakout role was Lois Lane. After Smallville, she starred as Dr. Alex Reid in the medical drama Saving Hope and appeared in the series Supergirl. She was married to Wesley Parker and later to actor David Palffy, with whom she had two sons before their divorce in 2023.