Since her debut appearance in Action Comics #1 alongside Superman, Lois Lane has been a mainstay in the world of DC Comics. The character has undergone many transitions during her 75 year comic life span. From her Golden Age days as a tough as nails journalist hell bent on uncovering Superman’s identity to an opinionated yet sensitive character in later years. Whenever Superman has made the leap into live action, Lois usually accompanies the Man of Steel. Over the years, many actresses have played the iconic role each giving the character a different spin. Before I give my personal opinion on the actresses’ performances, I’d just like to note that not all portrayals are mentioned as I’ve never seen Lois and Clark or the much earlier Adventures of Superman.
Margrot Kidder – Superman/ Superman II/ Superman III/ Superman IV A Quest For Peace
The Superman film of 1978 was a major hit and made household names of the likes Christopher Reeve and Margrot Kidder. Kidder, too many people will be the original Lois Lane. The film may seem dated with having Kidder smoke on screen and the use of typewriters in the Daily Planet, not to mention the SFX but Kidders performance remains timeless. Kidder plays Lane as depicted in her early comic stories as a no nonsense determined reporter who is oblivious to Clark Kent’s love for her. Kidder’s Lois featured in iconic moments in film history including the rooftop scene and is remembered for such famous lines such as when she first meets Superman ( Superman: "Easy, Miss, I've got you." Lois: "You've got me ... who's got you?”) echoing the amazed thoughts of a generation of movie goers seeing Superman on the big screen for the first time. Despite the decrease in quality of the franchise and Kidders limited role in future installments, Kidder’s iconic status means she scores a 5/5 for her portrayal.
Kate Bosworth – Superman Returns
Flash forward to 2006 and Superman returned to the big screen in the sort of sequel to the original two films. This time round, Kate Bosworth played the leading lady role of Lois Lane giving us a much younger looking and family woman version of the character. Like the whole film, Bosworth received fan backlash with moviegoers claiming the actress was too young to convincingly play the Pulitzer Prize winning reporter. A non-existent relationship with Clark Kent/ Superman and a son played against the capable Bosworth in what could have been a stronger performance. This Lois lacked a certain spark and an edge that are crucial parts of Lois’s personality. Still moping over Superman and being a genuine damsel in distress means that Kate Bosworth scores a 2.5/5 for failing to capture the character’s redeeming qualities.
Erica Durance – Smallville
The inclusion of Smallville’s Lois Lane in this list was in doubt but Erica Durances spot on performance sealed the deal. Introduced at first as an army brat cousin of Chloe Sullivan, Durance grew in the role to become, dare I say it, the best on screen version of the character. Durance captured the quirks and charms and the full essence of Lois Lane delivering on the money performances every episode. Having the show air for so long did allow Durance to develop the character much more deeply compared to others on this list that were restricted by the movie run times. Towards the final seasons, the show did lose its’ original magic but Durance continued to provide effortless and emotional acting, embodying the nature of Lois Lane. I admit a few episodes we completely wasted with alternative realities, the continuous loss of powers and memory blanks but Durance held her own. Durance receives full marks for her dedication, growth and handling of Lois Lane over six seasons.
Amy Adams – Man of Steel
I had high expectations when Amy Adams was cast as the latest Lois Lane. The multi Oscar nominated actress claimed this was the role she was ‘born to play.’ But the jury’s still out on that one. Adams handled the fierce and inquisitive journalistic side of Lois well, but what her character and the movie itself lacked, was a degree of warmth and fun. In this modern retelling, Lois discovers Clark’s identity, taking away the playful part of the duo relationship, Clarks dual identity. Adams is heavily involved in the plot of the story which makes a change from the ‘save me Superman’ commonly reserved for Lois. However, Adams doesn’t have the onscreen chemistry of the other Lois and Clarks. Adams is due to reprise the role in 2016’ Batman v Superman: dawn of Justice so she has a chance to convince me otherwise. I apprehensively score Adams a 3/5 with room for improvement moving forward.
Do you agree or disagree with any parts of my list or just want to share your favourite Lois Lane, then sound off your thoughts and ratings below. Please hit the Thumbs Up if you enjoyed this editorial and be sure to keep checking for my ‘Many faces Of Superman’ coming soon!