If you’re a fan of DC bad boys, you’re probably going to want tickets to Supanova Gold Coast or Melbourne.
This year, Supanova is playing host to Michael Rosenbaum, actor behind ‘Smallville’s iconic portrayal of Lex Luthor, and Michael can’t wait to get back to Australia.
“It’s the one place I’d even consider moving to, if you’d have me. I miss that accent, I do, I miss the Australian sound.”
“You don’t have to put make-up on or shave. I could pretty much walk in in sweat pants.”
All thoughts of an Aussie sea-change aside, life beyond ‘Smallville’ isn’t what you’d call quiet.
When he’s not voicing a wealth of DC characters, Michael’s the host of popular podcast ‘Inside Of You With Michael Rosenbaum’, has started ‘Rose & Bomb’, his own production company, and even made the leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I’m always up for fun.
“I just did ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ - I played Martinex, who was one of the original Guardians, [though] James [Gunn] made him a Ravager. I just got to play a cool character and I hope I’m gonna be in at least one or two more, so it’s exciting!
“It’s exciting to do anything that’s different, and challenge myself. Or to do things that are really easy, to be honest with you. I like to do things that don’t require that much thought.”
You get the sense, though, that a lot of thought goes into even those ‘easy’ roles. “Since I was a kid, I talked to myself. So [when cast in small roles in DC cartoons] I started messing around and did a little Christopher Walken for The Scarecrow, and for Deadshot I ended up kinda doing an essence of Kevin Spacey’s voice… which isn’t as cool now as at the time.
“They were casting me as these small roles, and it was a lot of fun, and it was easy. You don’t have to put make-up on or shave. I could pretty much walk in in sweat pants. Then I started getting cast a lot, and I’m really grateful.”
But as to what’s next for his DC roles, Michael’s staying tight-lipped. “I just did something I’m not allowed to talk about, a voice for something that’s coming out.”
‘Inside Of You’, though, is clearly Michael’s passion project. “It’s free on iTunes right now. I love it. I really get to be inside these people, and get to really know them and find out what makes them tick.”
It was interviewing James Gunn for the podcast that gave Michael hope that Martinex would be back. “His words were: ‘I put you in the end credits. Why would I put you in the end credits if you aren’t coming back?’ So I think that’s a pretty solid yes, though in this business you’ve gotta make sure it’s on the screen before you start telling everybody you’re in something.”
With Supanova nearly here, Michael’s thrilled to be teaming up with Superman himself, Tom Welling. “Tom and I were always close on the show, we love working with each other. He just came on my podcast, and we had a blast.
“He’s just a great guy, and this is one of the first times we’ll be signing together. We’ll be hanging out in Australia together for the first time, and it’s exciting.”
And remember, you’ve got a week or two to binge-listen to ‘Inside Of You’ and prep those thorny questions.
