'Smallville's' Doomsday More Complex

Although he has appeared in guest starring roles in numerous television shows (including "Dexter," "Bones," "CSI," "Angel," and "Cold Case," Sam Witwer is likely best known to genre fans as Crashdown in the SciFi Channel series, "Battlestar Galactica."

The actor, always interested in taking a challenging role, has joined the cast of "Smallville" as Davis Bloome, an emergency medical technician who will be revealed as Doomsday, an enemy of Superman in the comics.

"Although the show's producers did audition other actors for the role, they were literally banging my door down to get me to play the role," Witwer told SyFy Portal's Wayne Hall. "They were super-persistent. Besides, I feel I do better work when I am wanted, so this encouraged me."

Witwer had watched only occasional pieces of "Smallville" over its previous seasons, so he had no idea which role he was going to speak with the producers about. In order to prepare, he downloaded the animated "Superman/Doomsday" film by Bruce Timm at the last minute and watched it. That turned out to be a fortunate move because he had some idea who the character was during the interview.

"I'm not sure exactly what they saw in my work that made them so interested in me for the role, but I do know they had been searching for an actor who could be comfortable in both ends of the spectrum, someone who could be villainous but also vulnerable and sweet," he said. Witwer liked the idea of adding layers to the character, so he took the part.

For those unfamiliar with Doomsday in the comics, the character is one of the most popular new foes made for the Man of Steel in the last 25 years. He was created to shake up the Superman franchise by writer/artist Dan Jurgens, who introduced him in "Superman: The Man Of Steel" No. 17 in November 1992. The huge, unspeaking, grey-skinned behemoth had large spikes growing out of his various body parts, and came to Earth looking for things to destroy. In the middle of Metropolis, Superman ended up in a fistfight with Doomsday (named that by another comics character because the rampage he caused appeared to him like "the arrival of Doomsday").

Talk about this story