Film and TV Picture Best Picture Ratings about Lois Lane
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In 1938, the world forever changed with the debut of Superman in Action Comics #1. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, this DC Comics superhero would go on to revolutionize not just comic books, but pop culture as a whole. Alongside him in that very first appearance was Lois Lane, a reporter at the fictional Daily Planet newspaper who worked with Superman’s alter-ego Clark Kent. Starting out as professional rivals, the two soon became love interests, and for almost 90 years wherever Superman has appeared, so has Lois—including in film and television. We’ve gotten varying interpretations of the character on both the big and small screen, in live-action and animation; and while some have been stellar, some have been, dare we say it, less than super.
Kate Bosworth in Superman Returns (2006)
The Man of Steel’s first return to the big screen since 1987’s dismal Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, this Bryan Singer film was highly anticipated—the director had left the X-Men franchise to helm it, and there were hopes of launching an entirely new series of films. Following the original film’s choice to cast a relative unknown in the title role, Brandon Routh stepped into Christopher Reeve’s sizable shoes, and Kate Bosworth was cast as Lois. While not a terrible, if somewhat melancholic relaunch of the property, Bosworth’s Lois isn’t given much to do, and she’s saddled with a forgettable fiancé (James Marsden) and a sickly child (Tristan Lake Leabu) who we later learn is actually Superman’s. Her chemistry with Routh (not exactly setting the screen ablaze either) is virtually nonexistent, and she comes off cold, stiff, and awkward. Among her peers, Bosworth’s performance is definitely the least of the Loises
Noel Neill in Adventures of Superman (Seasons 2-6)
While Noel Neill was the second actress to play Lois Lane on the stalwart 1950s television show starring George Reeves, she was the first to ever portray the character in a live-action adaptation, 1948’s 15-part movie serial Superman alongside Kirk Allyn. When she took over for original series co-star Phyllis Coates, she reinterpreted Lois as a sweeter, gentler character that fit in well with the series’ overall tone shift into more kid-friendly territory. Although Neill played demure well, she lacked the grit, nerve, and determination that are central to the character, diminishing her effectiveness as a foil to her super-powered colleague. Neill would later appear in various other productions featuring DC’s mightiest hero: She had a cameo in 1978’s Superman as Lois’s mother Ella Lane (a tradition that future Lois actresses would also follow), appeared in an episode of the late 80s-early 90s television show Superboy, and played Gertrude Vanderworth, the dying elderly wife of Lex Luthor in Superman Returns. Fun fact: Neill was the inspiration for the Lois Lane statue on display in Metropolis, Illinois!
Amy Adams in Man of Steel (2013), Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017), and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
The most recent version of Lois seen in theaters, Amy Adams’ portrayal of the intrepid Daily Planet reporter is a mixed bag. While in Man of Steel she’s a more than capable, independent, and critically-thinking modern journalist whose intelligence leads her to almost immediately see through Superman’s (Henry Cavill) Clark Kent disguise, her presence over the course of her DCEU tenure steadily decreases. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a convoluted and confusing script does her no favors (though it’s nice to see she’s unafraid to go toe-to-toe with Ben Affleck’s Batman), and in Justice League she’s no more than a glorified deus ex machina sent to snap a resurrected Supes out of a rampage. While she’s given a bit more agency in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the eight-part director’s cut exclusive to HBO Max, it’s a case of too little, too late—a shame, because Adams has proven throughout her career that she’s able to do so much more.
Phyllis Coates in Adventures of Superman (Season 1)
First appearing as Lois alongside series co-star George Reeves in 1948’s Superman and the Mole Men, Phyllis Coates interpreted Lois Lane as a fiery, feisty reporter with a strong will who’d let nothing stop her from getting a story. She’d constantly try to outscoop Clark Kent, proving a fun antidote to the oft-domesticated portrayal of women in 1950s television. Notable for the time, Reeves insisted that Coates receive equal billing to him on the series. When it came time to shoot the second season, Coates had made other commitments and was unable to return, leading to Noel Neill stepping into the role. Coates would remain a busy, working actress throughout the 50s and 60s. In 1993, she returned to the world of DC when she guest starred in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as Ella Lane, Lois’s mother. At 95, she is the oldest-living actress to have portrayed Lois onscreen.