Supergirl: How Tyler Hoechlin landed the role of Superman

Meet your new Superman!

Teen Wolf alum Tyler Hoechlin ditches his fangs (and facial hair) to reach new heights on The CW’s Supergirl this fall as Clark Kent, a.k.a. The Man of Steel.

Few have had the honor of suiting up in the iconic spandex-and-red-boots combo before him, but it shockingly wasn’t that difficult for the 28-year-old California native to land the coveted role.

“Honestly, it was the strangest thing — there wasn’t an audition,” Hoechlin tells EW. “I had a great meeting with [executive producers] Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg [in June]. I had been told that the meeting would have something to do with Supergirl, but nothing really specific. Halfway through, they brought up the idea of introducing Superman to the show and asked if I’d be interested. I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely. I’m obviously a fan.’ I believe that was on a Monday. On Friday, we got a call with the offer, so it was very quick. It was very flattering, and I wish every job came about that way.”

“It’s Superman as I think he was intended to be,” Hoechlin says of his version of the Supes, “which is just an incredible symbol of hope to kids that they can do anything, that they can be good people, and that good people can triumph over evil. You don’t have to be dark and brooding and always in this state of masculine toughness. He sits in that very hopeful and optimistic place that Kara tends to be in.”

Hoechlin will make his Supergirl debut in the Monday, Oct. 10 premiere on The CW. Read about his experience suiting up here, and stay tuned for more scoop from Hoechlin on what it’s like to fly.

For more from Hoechlin’s interview, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on newsstands now.