Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
Playing Superman has been a long time in the making forJack Quaid.
WhenThe Boysstar was a child, he took a Batman cape, drew the iconic Superman triangle on a t-shirt and put a “J” instead of the usual “S.”
“I was Super J or Super Jack,” Quaid, 31, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.
Now the actor is playing the Man of Steel in the animated showMy Adventures with Supermanon Adult Swim and Max. In this particular take on the iconic superhero, Quaid voices a young Clark Kent, an aspiring reporter looking for his big break atThe Daily Planetwhen his powers emerge.
“I’ve always loved superheroes, and the fact that I’ve gotten to play in the Superman world, it’s just been an incredible honor,” explains Quaid, who is the son ofDennis QuaidandMeg Ryan.
Jack Quaid as ‘Wee’ Hughie Campbell and Erin Moriarty as Annie January/Starlight ‘The Boys’.Jan Thijs/Amazon/Sony/Kobal/Shutterstock
Jan Thijs/Amazon/Sony/Kobal/Shutterstock
But while he had previously watched other portrayals of Superman, Quaid tried to avoid revisiting them while he recorded lines for the show, not because “they weren’t great,” the actor explains, but because he didn’t want to accidentally slip into simply mimicking those otherwise memorable performances.
“I wanted to find my own take,” he adds. “Everyone who’s been Superman has been absolutely wonderful, but this show had such a very specific tone, and I wanted to make sure this version of Superman really fit in this world.”
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The role allowed Quaid to flex his acting chops, as he jumped back and forth from playing the mild-mannered Clark Kent to a more confident Superman, who grows to master his superpowers.
Jack Quaid in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ as Peter Parker.SONY PICTURES8BIM
SONY PICTURES8BIM
“That was really fun, defining which moments to do it and which to let a little bit more Clark shine through,” he recalls. “I love navigating the two sides of him, but at his core, keeping him Clark, who’s just this sweet guy who genuinely wants to do good in the world and also wants to be a reporter. I think that he genuinely loves reporting and wants to do the best job that he can.”
One of the best aspects ofMy Adventures with Supermanis the relationship between Clark and Lois Lane evolve. Watching the first seven episodes of the show was a “really emotional” ride for Quaid, particularly during the scenes with Clark and Lois.
“There’s something so sweet about them, so genuine, and I can’t believe I’m rooting for a cartoon romance to happen,” he admits. “Their romance is a tale as old as time.”
For more on Jack Quaid, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.
My Adventures with Supermanpremieres Thursday on Adult Swim and Friday on Max.
source: people.com
