Tomorrow, Superman & Lois: The Complete First Season arrives on Blu-ray, and to celebrate the occasion, we were able to sit down with up-and-coming stars Jordan Elsass ("Jonathan Kent") and Alex Garfin ("Jordan Kent") to talk about their experience making the acclaimed freshman season.
Among other things, the pair reflected on going from co-stars to genuine friends, what they've learned from co-stars Tyler Hoechlin ("Clark Kent/Superman") and Elizabeth Tulloch ("Lois Lane"), their thoughts on possibly meeting Melissa Benoist's Supergirl as well as other DC heroes and villains, and the lively pair even offered a small tease of what to expect in season two!
Check out the full video interview below and keep scrolling for the full transcript!
ROHAN: You guys are playing brothers and have pretty strong chemistry from the first episode, which is pretty key in a family drama like this. Do you remember a specific moment early on where you guys clicked or was it a dynamic that took a little while to get right?
JORDAN: We clicked pretty quick off the bat - what would you say?
ALEX: I did have a moment in mind, I don’t know why I just remembered it, it was coming back from winter break. It was like the first day we came back from winter break, I mean that was like the first time we got close as two friends cause we were friends before, but weren’t exactly super good friends.
JORDAN: It was a pretty surface-level, like co-worker kind of relationship. We were hanging out, but more in groups and stuff. I remember those first few days when we went on that tower in the middle of nowhere…
ALEX: Yeah! That’s what I remember and I have to say that was around, for context in the show, it was the beginning of episode four, so that was about when we -
JORDAN: It’s so crazy that break was so early in the season…
ALEX: Isn’t it? I mean I guess we filmed that pilot for three months, we filmed the first two episodes, we block shoot them, meaning we did a scene from 1, scene from 2, scene from 1, scene from 2, and we did that for around three months and then also, we had a brief interjection cause of scheduling with episode three, so actually a lot of the stuff in episode three was done on the second week of shooting, so it was very interesting to kind of convey these characters. If you notice, the first three episodes are a little bit different than the rest, you would only notice it if you were looking for it…
JORDAN: Right, and that’s why you should go buy the DVD, the Blu-ray, and run it back!
ROHAN: You're working every day with Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch, both of whom have ample experience with genre shows, having been on Teen Wolf and Grimm, respectively - Jordan, you were also able to work with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington on Little Fires Everywhere - what have you two learned from just observing these veteran actors that you hope to carry with you through your careers.
JORDAN: I mean one thing that I see and I can say this specifically about Tyler, about Bitsie, and obviously about Reese, but I’ll say one thing that I noticed with big-name actors and just professionals in general, true professionals like Tyler, like Bitsie, like Wolé, like every adult on the show, is they’re very consistent in everything they do. They’re very consistent in their work, they’re very consistent in their behavior on set, they’re very consistent in being kind, it’s a constant through and through. They come in every day and they know their lines and they’re just nice to everyone, they know everyone’s names, it boosts morale on these long days where you’re working sixteen hours, it’s really necessary that everyone’s being kind and it’s a cohesive environment where we can all work together without bad stuff.
ALEX: I do have to say, I really admire Tyler’s work ethic. He would be far too humble to mention publicly, but that man does incredible hours on set, he’s in almost every scene, he’s playing two characters, he’s playing both main characters on this show and so he’s there day-in, day-out on these sixteen-hour days and manages to get at least two hours of working out in…
JORDAN: Yeah! It’s insane!
ALEX: Even if stuff is happening or the days are longer or the days are harder, he never drops his decorum, he always has this way of being kind and looking out for everyone else in the situation and making sure that he is the leader of this show - and Bitsie as well, I mean Bitsie has a family, and that work associated while being a titular character, so her struggle is more private than it is something that we see, but she’s also incredible in that way. They just have this work ethic. Who said actors were lazy? All the adults apparently. *laughs* No, I’m just kidding.
ROHAN: While both of your season one arcs are essentially about finding your place in Smallville and in the world of Superman, what can you tease about what's to come for Jonathan and Jordan in season two?
ALEX: Well, it’s not a gift basket.
JORDAN: Yeah, exactly, exactly, no, I mean, I think there’s quite a bit just for our characters, specifically, we both sort of find our place in Smallville even more…
ALEX: I’m really excited to hopefully develop this character in further ways that provide a story for people. That’s about as general as I can put anything.
JORDAN: I’d say both of our characters kind of find our place in Smallville even more and get some roots and we learn some lessons along the way and that’s very vague.
ALEX: There are people in places doing certain things…
JORDAN: And we walk around and talk and then we go home and then we talk to our parents…
ALEX: And there is conflict and resolution...
JORDAN: And there’s a climax and…
ALEX: Falling action! *laughs*
ROHAN: The first season ended with the big bombshell reveal that Natalie Irons (Tayler Buck) had found her way to your Earth - what should fans expect from the dynamic between you two brothers and your multiversal half-sister?
ALEX: Well, I have to say Tayler is a great addition to this cast. She’s unbelievably talented and really just an awesome person, so we are very very happy to have her.
JORDAN: Very excited!
ROHAN: It's rare that a television show will accurately depict sports, especially football, but Superman & Lois does a pretty good job with the football scenes. Were you guys big football guys coming into the show or was that something you picked up on the job?
JORDAN: Definitely picked up on the job and I’m still learning, I’m still learning, so I have a long ways to go, but I’ve learned a lot. Coming into this show, I didn’t even know how football was played, I didn’t even know it was a game of any kind of strategy or anything like that, I really thought it was just dudes tackling each other and trying to score touchdowns, I didn’t really get the premise of it, I didn’t understand there are plays and there are sort of this back-and-forth, almost like a chess game and I really like it. I mean I’ve grown to like football, actually want to start watching it, but I definitely put in some work, didn’t even barely know how to throw a football, like I thought, “Oh fingers on the laces here,” but I didn’t know. I really didn’t until now and now I think - it’s not a spoiler cause I didn’t say anything, but we’ll leave it at that. I am practicing a lot...
ALEX: They released press photos.
JORDAN: Yeah, exactly, exactly, I mean yeah, so basically you’re going to see more football, but I was not a football guy coming in.
ALEX: Also, I do gotta say that would be a great way to shout out our incredible stunt team.
JORDAN: Oh yeah!
ALEX: They’re the reason that it looked good, the camera work as well, we have such an incredible camera team, and the DPs that are involved, we have Gordon Verheul and Stephen Maier, but really it’s our stunt department that put together this incredible choreography, in the pouring rain, in the rain, sleet and snow, they were always able to deliver and they delivered with kindness and passion and also a professionalism that is just unmatched in this industry. We have the best stunt team ever. Boom! (mic drop)
ROHAN: Supergirl may be ending, but have you guys thought of ever meeting Kara (Melissa Benoist), your first cousin once removed, who we have to assume your characters have realized is the Girl of Steel?
JORDAN: It’d be great, I would love to meet Melissa or Kara in the show, whatever works. That would definitely be something really cool.
ALEX: We are shot very differently than the rest of the Arrowverse, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out any possibilities. I mean honestly, right now the show is existing as a separate entity and we’re telling the story that we want to tell. If that involves doing other things, it involves doing other things, but right now, we’re telling the story that we want to tell and we’re going to continue doing that.
ROHAN: While Kara showing up is to-be-determined, there was one fan-favorite Arrowverse member to pay Smallville a visit, the one-and-only John Diggle - what was it like working with him? And, are there any other characters you'd like to see show up?
JORDAN: It’s funny because David didn’t come in as only Diggle and make that cameo, but he actually directed 107…
ALEX: He directed 202 too, in fact, we just finished it, so we just saw the guy yesterday.
JORDAN: Yeah, literally, he’s been around, so he’s not only working as an actor, he’s directing as well. - As far as other characters, would you say there’s any other characters that you can think of… I mean, Tom Welling would be sick!
ALEX: Well, if he can make a cameo, that would be really fun.
JORDAN: That would be awesome!
ALEX: That would be really cool. I don’t know, get Will Smith on there, see if you can do it! *laughs* Bryan Cranston, if I got to meet my hero, I would be very happy.
ROHAN: Are there any classic Superman villains you'd like to go up against?
ALEX: I want to see Mister Mxyzptlk, just because that means we have to say his name over and over and I would just love to watch everyone struggle for a whole episode…
JORDAN: Who is that?
ALEX: There’s like this character from like the fifth dimension and he’s basically just omnipotent, so he just does whatever he wants and I think the only way to stop him is to say his really long complicated name backward.
JORDAN: What?!
ALEX: Or make him say the really long complicated name…
JORDAN: Is this canon?
ALEX: Yeah, this is like full canon, he’s like a little guy on a cloud, I remember reading it on the…
JORDAN: Like Mario, with the little caterpillars…
ALEX: Yes, he is exactly like that just because I remember seeing it, I actually know the Superman characters - and don’t kill me fans because I have been looking into this - but before this, I knew the Superman characters by waiting in line for the Superman, the Man of Steel rollercoaster at Six Flags, and they had little plaques of all the characters and you’re sitting in that really hot line and they’re playing the Superman theme…
JORDAN: ...while you’re sweating and sipping on a nasty syrupy Coke in the huge cup…
ALEX: Meanwhile, the music is calling the Justice League - *laughing* - I’m sorry, that’s what’s going on?
Superman & Lois: The Complete First Season arrives on Blu-ray tomorrow!