Back in August, Superman director James Gunn gave fans a rare and fascinating glimpse behind-the-scenes of the first DCU movie via a clip from the making-of documentary featuring a passionate (some might say heated) debate between the filmmaker and star David Corenswet.
Gunn and Corenswet ended up disagreeing about how the latter should deliver the Man of Steel's "that's where you've always been wrong about me" speech to Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) after the villain refers to his nemesis as a "piece of shit alien."
Gunn pushed Corenswet to make his performance bigger and more intense, but the actor felt that Clark wouldn't be so emotional at this moment because his adopted father, Pa Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince), had already reassured him that his own choices determine who he is, not the bombshell revelation that his biological parents actually sent him to Earth as a conqueror.
Wicked: For Good star Jonathan Bailey asked Corenswet about this footage during an actors-on-actors interview with Variety.
"I feel so lucky that that is on film, and it was interesting hearing from people what they thought of it — everything from, 'Well, that’s what always happens,' all the way to, 'What a terrible working environment.' For me, it does happen all the time. It was amazing how indefatigable James was. He very rarely got fed up with me, because I think he knew that the reason I’m having those conversations with him is, at my boldest, because I think I might see something that he doesn’t see and he might value. I never want any director to say, 'Fine. If you need that, go do it.' I’m not doing it just for me. I might see something here that you actually like, and then you’ll feel like it’s yours.
But on the other end, I don’t know how to do a good job otherwise. I got this criticism in theater school quite a lot, and that was a good lesson to learn. As an actor you do need to let go. As a young actor, you’re sort of waiting to feel ready to make the action. There’s a practice of just, 'Walk before you’re ready to walk. Just say the line before you’re ready to say the line.'”
Gunn was ultimately able to make his points sink in (you can watch the clip below), and Corenswet went back for another take. Ironically enough, the sequence in question arguably proved to be one of the most divisive moments in the film.
Corenswet also recalled learning that he had landed the audition, and initially assuming the call was about a completely different movie.
"Well, when I got the audition, I was standing on a ladder changing a light fixture. My agent said, “We think you know what this is about.” I said, “Is it ‘Top Gun 3’? What am I waiting for?” I really was not expecting it, although I think other people thought that I should be expecting it. Just statistically speaking, it feels completely impossible.