When grilled for his thoughts on David Corenswet’s performance as Superman while literally hooked up to a lie detector, “Superman” co-star Nicholas Hoult reluctantly admitted that there were moments while filming that he thought he’d have a better take on the Man of Steel.
“I would’ve been astonished if the answer was no,” Corenswet reassured Hoult on the latest installment of the Vanity Fair lie detector interview series.
You see, Hoult previously revealed that before getting cast as Superman’s tech billionaire arch nemesis Lex Luthor, he auditioned to play the titular hero himself. Of course, the role ended up going to the lesser-known breakout Corenswet, and Hoult has been nothing but praising of his performance throughout the press tour ahead of Friday’s theatrical release.
But when hooked to a lie detector, how’d he really feel?
“You recently revealed that you also auditioned for the role of Superman,” Corenswet quizzed. “Was there ever a moment during one of our scenes together where you —”
“This is going to be a funny question. Where I thought, ‘I can do it better than that?’” Hoult interjected, adding: “If I was doing this quiz, that’s what I would ask.”
“Great, take a breath,” Corenswet said as Hoult geared up to respond.
“I’m already stressed,” Hoult joked.
As the actor, also known for “Skins,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and last year’s “Nosferatu,” continued to stall, Corenswet teasingly got heated: “F—king yes or no!”
“Yes,” Hoult said, and Vanity Fair’s lie detector technician confirmed he was telling the truth. Corenswet, for his part, stood up and shook Hoult’s hand out of respect for being honest.
“But you know I didn’t really think it,” Hoult said.
“No, all actors think that at some point,” Corenswet assured. “What f—king scene was it?”
“Well, I don’t know, I’m actually trying to think,” Hoult said. “But you know what it was? It wasn’t actually ever that. I auditioned to play Superman, and so I know how difficult it is to play that character, because it is very difficult. So actually, a majority of the time, watching you I was impressed by how easy you made it look and how dynamic and what you brought to that character, because that was special. So that’s more, there was lots of other thoughts when I was answering that question, and when I watched you play that character.”
Watch the full lie detector segment below:
It’s not the first time Hoult has opened up about his casting trajectory with the project, nor is it the first time he’s praised his co-star for being the perfect Superman.
“I just loved the script that James wrote, it’s such a fresh, new take on this character. And seeing what David did on set and then seeing it on screen, he’s such a wonderful Superman,” Hoult said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last month. “He’s so charismatic and emotional and he gives it such dynamism and it’s just a wonderful interpretation of the character, so I’m very proud to be in the movie with him as Superman because it’s a new Superman for a new generation, and he’s done a wonderful job as that character.”
