Actors Who Have Played More Than One DC Character

The DC universe loves to make the circle bigger. With every show and film released, new actors join the pantheon of greats to bring iconic comic book personalities to life. In some instances, familiar faces from the past return — but not always as the characters they formerly portrayed. Whether it be the challenge of a new part or an homage to their previous roles, a number of actors have played more than one DC character over the years.

For a few actors, their second chance in the DC universe has proved to be more successful than their first rodeo. Look at "Reacher" star Alan Ritchson as an example: He may catch the eye as Arthur Curry in "Smallville," looking like a dead ringer for the classic Aquaman from the comics, but he never ascends beyond being an occasional guest on the show. "Titans," on the other hand, provided him the chance as a regular to dig deeper into the character of Hank Hall, aka Hawk.

Let's take a journey through the multiverse — hopefully, not in the weird CGI way showcased in "The Flash" — and see the actors who have appeared as multiple DC characters.

Brandon Routh shot to superstardom after being cast as the Man of Steel in 2006's "Superman Returns," which serves as a loose sequel to the original film series. Ironically, in the same year, he voiced an original character called Everywhere Man in the animated series "The Batman."

"Superman Returns" was meant to kickstart another era of movies for the Big Blue Boy Scout, but the global box office return of $391.1 million from a $270 million budget halted all plans for future sequels. Routh didn't give up on the superhero dream, though, as he was later cast as Ray Palmer, aka the Atom, in the Arrowverse. Palmer debuts in the first episode of "Arrow" Season 3 ("The Calm") and continues to appear in the TV franchise thereafter.

Routh eventually even put on the red cape once again, swooping in as Superman in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" Arrowverse crossover event. It proved to be the moment of closure he needed with the character, too, as he told Den of Geek, "I approached it as if it was the final time. It was important for me."

While Anthony Carrigan might be better known for tickling the funny bone as NoHo Hank in HBO's "Barry," he has a history with comic book characters — especially in the DC universe. In the "Gotham" TV series, he shines as Victor Zsasz — a gun for hire and a criminal who loves to carve the number of victims he slaughters on his body.

Carrigan also received a villainous part in The CW's "The Flash" series as another mobster: Kyle Nimbus, who turns into the human cloud known as the Mist. Unlike the role of Zsasz, the Mist isn't a regular antagonist on the show, so Carrigan only appeared sporadically after debuting in the Season 1 episode "Things You Can't Outrun."

In July 2023, Carrigan was officially announced as Metamorpho for James Gunn's "Superman: Legacy." Speaking about the role to The Hollywood Reporter and how he took note of comic book characters he could portray, the actor said, "I remember seeing Metamorpho and I think he had like a giant like hammer for a hand and I was like, that guy's badass."

Most fans recognize Nathan Fillion from popular television shows such as "Firefly," "Castle," and "The Rookie." In 2014, he became the subject of internet rumors that he was set to be cast as Nova or Cosmo in James Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy." Ultimately, he did appear in the film — and the series — in cameo roles, but the parts are nothing to write home about, nor are they significant to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fillion is no stranger to comic book adaptations, though, having voiced Hal Jordan's Green Lantern across various animated films such as "Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox" and "The Death of Superman." Gunn eventually cast Fillion in a live-action DC film, giving him the part of T.D.K. — the Detachable Kid — in 2021's "The Suicide Squad." Since the two are longtime collaborators, it should come as no surprise that Gunn found another part for the actor in his reboot of the DCU. While not Hal Jordan, Fillion has been cast as another Green Lantern — Guy Gardner — in "Superman: Legacy."

There's an argument to be made that John Glover remains one of the MVPs of the entire DC universe. For over three decades, he's brought a number of pivotal and established characters to life on television and in film. Glover voiced the enigmatic and charismatic villain the Riddler in "Batman: The Animated Series" and "Superman: The Animated Series," before being cast as Dr. Jason Woodrue in 1997's "Batman & Robin." As Dr. Woodrue, Glover doesn't transform into the scientist's leafy alter ego Floronic Man on screen, but he is the person responsible for Bane evolving into a Venom-fuelled brute.

However, Glover's most famous turn as a DC character came in "Smallville," where he played Lionel Luthor across multiple seasons and stole the show whenever he appeared. Throughout his tenure on the series, Luthor develops from the main antagonist to an eventual ally of Clark Kent in a memorable and heartbreaking arc. In 2019's "Shazam!" Glover shows up in a minor role as the CEO of Sivana Industries and Thaddeus Sivana's abusive father.

Take one look at Alan Ritchson's physique and jawline you'll see a comic book character in the flesh. In fact, it's surprising no one has cast him as Superman or Batman yet. Ritchson received the chance to scratch the superhero itch when he was cast as Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, in "Smallville." The hero debuts in the Season 5 episode "Aqua" and goes on to make several guest appearances until the show's end.

After getting his cowabunga on as Raphael in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies, Ritchson returned to the world of capes and cowls when he was cast as Hank Hall, aka Hawk, in the "Titans" series. As the actor revealed to Entertainment Weekly, he wasn't originally meant to have a lengthy run on the show. "My initial deal was for two episodes, and I had a separate deal for a Hawk and Dove spin-off," he said. "And when we shot those two episodes, they really enjoyed us as Titans and invited us to join more episodes in the back half of the first season."

The late Christopher Reeve's name remains synonymous with the role of Superman. Across four films, he made viewers believe a man could fly and inspired the entire genre of comic book movies. It's safe to say that if it weren't for Reeve's Man of Steel, other superheroes may not have had the chance to land on screen.

Reeve served as the iconic character for close to a decade, so he really had nothing left to prove to audiences when he hung up the cape once and for all. However, he returned to the DC universe in "Smallville," appearing as Dr. Virgil Swann and interacting with Tom Welling's Clark Kent. According to Welling, Reeve was gracious and kind with his time on set. "Meeting him was really great," Welling told The Hollywood Reporter. "He was only supposed to be there for a couple hours. He ended up staying for like six or eight hours until his nurses were like, 'We're going to unplug the lights, you guys. He's got to go.'"

British actor Jay Lycurgo pulled off a wonderous feat within a one-year period. In 2021, he was cast as Tim Drake in "Titans" Season 3. His arc takes a while to get going on the show, but Lycurgo's Drake finally suits up as Robin and puts his staff to good use in Season 4.

A year after his casting on "Titans," Lycurgo showed up in Matt Reeves' "The Batman," but not as the Boy Wonder. Instead, the actor appears as an uninitiated member of a street gang who needs to commit criminal acts to prove his loyalty. Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight smashes up the thugs who are looking for trouble but leaves Lycurgo's character untouched, choosing to let him take this lesson as the necessary inspiration to turn his life around.

In an interview with DC, Lycurgo admitted that he didn't tell the "Titans" crew about his role in "The Batman." "I did 'The Batman' a year before I even got a tape for 'Titans,'" the actor said. "So, I did that and kind of got a little buzz on social media when the trailer came out."

Considering that Tim Burton directed 1985's "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," is anyone surprised that the filmmaker found a spot for Pee-wee Herman himself, Paul Reubens, in his "Batman" movies? While Reubens wasn't cast as a villain or even in a meaty role filled with screen time, he plays a short but crucial part in the intro to "Batman Returns," where he appears as Oswald Cobblepot's unkind father Tucker. However, this wasn't Reubens' last stint with DC, as he later turned up for the animated show "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," voicing the interdimensional imp known as Bat-Mite.

Reubens got the opportunity to play the Penguin's dad once again in "Gotham," debuting in the Season 2 episode "Wrath of the Villains: Mad Grey Dawn." In this version, he isn't named Tucker, but Elijah Van Dahl. As a rich socialite, Elijah welcomes Oswald into his life when he discovers he is his son from his affair with Gertrud Kapelput. He loves him with all his heart, even when he finds out his son is embroiled in a life of crime.

Thanks to "Teen Wolf," Crystal Reed became a household name. After her time on that series came to an end, she used the recognition to take her career to the next level and secure more roles. One of her first high-profile gigs was playing Sofia Falcone in Season 4 of "Gotham." Most of her arc features her battle for crime supremacy in Gotham City, as she goes to war against Oswald Cobblepot. At first, Sofia presents herself as benevolent and forgiving to others, but it's soon revealed that she is ruthless. She kills her own father, Carmine, and attempts to murder her former beau, Jim Gordon.

Reed later moved from Gotham to the Louisiana swamp, securing a leading role on the short-lived "Swamp Thing." In the series, Reed plays Abby Arcane, who finds out that Alec Holland is still alive but is now a swamp creature. While the show was canceled after a single season, Reed told Decider she would return if asked. "I would, in a heartbeat, come back," she said. "I think Abby was beautiful, wonderful. Our creative team was fantastic. It always felt like home."

Patrick Wilson stars as Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl II, in Zack Snyder's adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' "Watchmen." While the 2009 film underwhelmed at the box office upon release, it has come to be remembered much more fondly in recent years, with even Wilson stating it was ahead of its time and far more influential than people give it credit for.

The relationship with Snyder stuck, though, as Wilson worked with the filmmaker again on 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," playing the U.S. President. In the film, the president is never seen on screen, but his voice is heard. This allowed a natural segue for Wilson to play another DC character without too many questions being asked about continuity.

Wilson appears as Arthur Curry's mercurial brother Orm (aka Ocean Master) in 2018's "Aquaman," which is directed and co-written by another longtime collaborator, James Wan. He reprises his role in the 2023 sequel, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

Among comic book fans, Morena Baccarin might be better recognized as Vanessa from the "Deadpool" films. However, the actor has an extensive history with the DC world as well. Baccarin stars as Leslie "Lee" Thompkins throughout all five seasons of "Gotham," where she serves as a primary love interest for Jim Gordon and becomes an important ally for the young Bruce Wayne.

The Brazilian-born actor has also lent her voice to several of DC's animated productions. She voices Black Canary in "Justice League Unlimited," Cheetah in "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," and Talia al Ghul in "Son of Batman" and "Batman: Bad Blood." Baccarin also provides the voice for Barry Allen's AI assistant Gideon in The CW's "The Flash" series.

If that wasn't enough, Baccarin has admitted that she's a huge fan of Catwoman as well, so who's to say she won't get the opportunity to purr as the femme fatale on screen at some point?

Actor Billy Crudup has an impressive body of work, starring in films such as "Almost Famous" and "Public Enemies." In 2009, he added to it by playing Jon Osterman, aka Dr. Manhattan, in "Watchmen." Dr. Manhattan acts as one of the central characters in the story as he becomes caught up in Adrian Veidt's master plan. More importantly, a majority of fans agreed that Crudup more than did justice to the character in his portrayal.

In 2017, Crudup revisited superhero cinema in the highly publicized "Justice League," where he plays Barry Allen's incarcerated father, Henry. Even in the infamous Snyder Cut, Crudup's role remains relatively small in the story, with the intention always being that it would be fleshed out in "The Flash" movie.

However, Crudup didn't return to play Henry Allen in 2023's "The Flash," citing scheduling conflicts with filming for the Apple TV+ series "The Morning Show." In the end, Ron Livingston replaced him as Henry in the movie.

Peyton List made her DC debut in the "Smallville" Season 4 episode "Lucy." On the show, List plays Lois' young sister, Lucy Lane, and she leaves quite the first impression as she develops sticky fingers and tries to rip off her sibling's friends. Lucy wasn't a regular on "Smallville," though, and the character only appeared one more time in the Season 10 episode "Ambush."

In 2015, List transformed into one of Barry Allen's rogues on "The Flash." In the Arrowverse, she portrays Lisa Snart — Leonard's sister — who goes by the alias of Golden Glider. Lisa only makes a few appearances on "The Flash," but she manages to catch the eye of Cisco Ramon, who falls head over heels for her.

List then departed Central City for Batman's forsaken hometown, joining "Gotham" in Season 4 and playing one of the grown-up versions of Ivy Pepper, aka Poison Ivy. "Gotham" afforded List her longest run on a superhero show, as she continued to appear until the series wrapped up in Season 5. List even got the chance to play Poison Ivy again, voicing the character in the "Batman: Hush" animated film.

Before Joaquin Phoenix danced his way to an Oscar as Arthur Fleck, aka the Joker, in Todd Phillips' "Joker," he had an early experience in a DC show that only diehard fans will remember. Phoenix guests as Billy Hercules in the "Superboy" Season 1 episode titled "Little Hercules." In this episode, Clark Kent befriends the young Billy, who happens to be a boy genius. Trying to impress a girl, Billy sets off a self-destruct program on a submarine, so it's up to Clark to get Billy back onto the submarine and deactivate the program before it all goes boom.

Phoenix shocked the world years later when he accepted the part of the Joker. The actor's filmography isn't what anyone would term blockbuster or commercial fodder, and a comic book movie role always seemed out of the realm of possibility for him. Phoenix admitted at a Q&A that he was uncertain about taking the part at first. However, he changed his mind as he became more involved in it. "But then there was something that was drawing me toward it," he said (via Variety). "It just evolved as we worked together. It started becoming something more than I anticipated. It was one of the greatest experiences of my career."

Nowadays, Jeffrey Dean Morgan might be better known for another comic book universe, playing the live-action version of the bat-wielding Negan in "The Walking Dead." Before stealing the show and smashing heads in the zombie drama, he did his reps in the DC universe to get warmed up. Morgan started off his DC journey by playing Edward Blake, aka the Comedian, in Zack Snyder's "Watchmen." Blake is the first major character killed in the film. However, he still plays a larger part in the story through flashback sequences that reveal he was far from a hero.

Morgan teamed up with Snyder again for 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice." He appears as Thomas Wayne in the film's title sequence, which revisits the infamous death of the Waynes. Considering all the teases of the multiverse in the film, many fans expected Morgan to reprise his role and portray the "Flashpoint" Batman at some point down the line, but that never came to fruition.

From "Blade Runner" to the cast of "True Blood," the late Rutger Hauer had a long and storied career. He found his way into the DC universe as well. "Smallville" Season 3 introduces Hauer as Morgan Edge. In this iteration, Edge is a slippery crime boss and an old friend of Lionel Luthor who shows up and gets into all sorts of mischief. Later in the series, Edge undergoes plastic surgery to change his face, which allowed for Hauer to be replaced with Patrick Bergin for a future appearance.

Hauer swapped Metropolis for Gotham in 2005 when he was cast as William Earle in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins." In the film, Earle takes over as Wayne Enterprises CEO after the death of Thomas Wayne. While he promises Bruce that he's only keeping the seat warm for him when he's ready to take over, it's clear that Earle is driven by greed and doesn't harbor the same attitude to help the world that the Waynes did. Eventually, Bruce regains control of his company and replaces Earle as CEO with Lucius Fox.

Known primarily for his comedic work, Jon Cryer brought the same energy to the part of Lenny Luthor in 1987's "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace." In the film, Lenny gets his uncle Lex out of prison and plans to help him take down the Man of Steel. While Lenny might think he's Lex's right-hand man, he's seen as nothing more than a buffoonish henchman — in the same light as Bebop and Rocksteady from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

"Superman IV" isn't remembered fondly by fans of the character — or movies in general — but Cryer received a second chance to make amends in the DC universe. He plays the Lex Luthor of the Arrowverse, appearing in "Supergirl" as well as in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover.

In 2019, Cryer revealed to The Hollywood Reporter how the first "Superman" film impacted him as a 14-year-old teen and was one of the reasons he agreed to play Lenny in the first place. "'Superman IV' had very high hopes, but unfortunately was very disappointing for people," he said. "That had always hurt me in a very 14-year-old boy way. So I thought [playing Lex] is my chance to do it right."

After 1987's "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace," there was a long stretch until the Man of Steel returned to cinema in 2006's "Superman Returns." However, fans received a live-action version of the character in the 1993 television series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," where Dean Cain played the Last Son of Krypton. The show ran for four seasons, even being nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards along the way.

In "Smallville" Season 7, Cain also guests as Dr. Curtis Knox, who is revealed to be an eternal warrior in the same vein as Vandal Savage. The part of Knox wasn't a long-term deal, so Cain popped in and out of the series fairly quickly. In 2015, Cain was cast as Jeremiah Danvers — Kara's Earth father — in "Supergirl." The actor appears in a handful of episodes, dodging death and receiving cybernetic upgrades throughout his run. Eventually, in Season 5, it's revealed that Jeremiah died after Lex Luthor tricked Eve Teschmacher into killing him.

Cain has also dipped his toes into the world of DC animation, voicing Jonathan Kent in 2016's "DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year."

In 1984, DC took the first step toward a shared universe by releasing "Supergirl," starring Helen Slater as the titular hero. While Christopher Reeve doesn't appear in the film, it's canonical with his movies. "Supergirl" received overwhelmingly negative reviews and bombed at the box office, but Slater has largely been positive about the experience and working with revered names, such as Faye Dunaway and Peter O'Toole, on the movie. "I don't like to say I regret anything, it's not my style," she told Den of Geek in 2010, "but I do quasi-regret that the script didn't connect as much, and that it didn't go on to be bigger."

In 1992, Slater returned to DC, voicing Talia al Ghul in several episodes of "Batman: The Animated Series." She also revisited the world of Superman in "Smallville," playing Lara-El — Kal-El's birth mother. Slater's career came full circle in 2015 when she was cast as Kara Danver's mother, Eliza, in "Supergirl," appearing in a number of episodes across all six seasons.

In addition, the actor has voiced Martha Kent in several installments of the "DC Super Hero Girls" animated series.

To call Brett Cullen a busy actor would be putting it mildly. From cameos to leading roles, Cullen has a long list of credits in television shows and movies. The actor has also made time to appear in DC films — first in 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises," and again in 2019's "Joker."

In "The Dark Knight Rises," Cullen portrays Congressman Byron Gilly. It's a small but memorable part, as Selina Kyle "kidnaps" the drunken congressman and takes him to the bar with her as she conducts business. Gilly remains smitten with her, even as the SWAT team descends on their location. As Selina escapes, he says to her, "Call me."

For Todd Phillips' "Joker," Cullen plays a much bigger role as Thomas Wayne. In the movie, Arthur Fleck comes to believe that Thomas is his birth father and tries to connect with him. Thomas explains how Arthur's mother lied to him and says he isn't his father, eventually punching the man who becomes the Joker in the face. Ultimately, Thomas and his wife, Martha, meet their demise later in the movie.

BD Wong has played a wide range of iconic roles in his career, including Dr. Henry Wu from the "Jurassic Park" franchise. He brings the same desire to tinker and experiment to his role as Dr. Hugo Strange in "Gotham." In this version of the character, Strange acts as the sinister director of Arkham Asylum and uses his psychiatric patients as Guinea pigs for his questionable science projects. He also dabbles in resurrecting the dead while aiding the mysterious Court of Owls. The most shocking revelation, though, is that he is the one responsible for ordering the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne, thereby making him the person who essentially creates Batman in this corner of the DC universe.

After his recurring role on "Gotham" across several seasons, Wong joined The CW's Arrowverse. In "The Flash," he provides the voice for one version of the supervillain speedster Godspeed in two episodes.

John Wesley Shipp came to the attention of DC fans after portraying the live-action Barry Allen in the 1990 "The Flash" television show. That series lasted only a single season, failing to outrun the network executives who canceled it. Yet, despite it being short-lived and only having 22 episodes, the series still found the time to gather an outstanding cast, featuring the likes of Mark Hamill, Denise Crosby, Jeri Ryan, Bryan Cranston, and Mark Dacascos in various supporting and guest roles.

Years later, Shipp got the opportunity to play the Flash once again. He was cast as Dr. Henry Allen in The CW's "The Flash" in 2014, but Shipp doesn't just play Barry's father in the show or other Arrowverse programs. Thanks to the multiverse shenanigans and infinite timelines in the story, he also portrays Jay Garrick — the first Flash — and even revives his role as Barry Allen from the 1990 show.

With his intimidating presence and inimitable voice, Clancy Brown has been one of the best character actors in Hollywood for decades. As a result, he typically plays villains more than heroes. The same holds true in terms of his DC appearances. Just as Mark Hamill became the definitive voice of the Joker in "Batman: The Animated Series," Brown did the same for Lex Luthor in "Superman: The Animated Series." He returned to voice Superman's nemesis in "Justice League," "The Batman," "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies," "Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite," and several video games. Surprisingly, no one ever thought of casting him as a live-action Lex, though he certainly could have pulled it off.

Brown also voices minor and supporting characters in animated series such as "Batman Beyond," "Teen Titans," "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," "Young Justice," and "Green Lantern: The Animated Series."

In live action, Brown appears as General Wade Eiling, who's responsible for overseeing the military's meta-human projects, in several episodes of "The Flash." The actor is also set to play crime lord Salvatore Maroni in the live-action "The Penguin" series, starring alongside Colin Farrell's Oswald Cobblepot.

There are a small number of actors who've portrayed Lex Luthor in live-action DC stories. Despite the elite competition — boasting names like Gene Hackman and John Shea – Michael Rosenbaum remains a fan favorite for his portrayal of the Superman villain on "Smallville." Even DC Studios head James Gunn has called him the best version of the character.

Yet, Rosenbaum's time in the DC universe predates "Smallville," as he voiced several supporting characters in "Batman Beyond" and "Static Shock." Even while starring in "Smallville," the actor lent his voice to Wally West's Flash in the "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited" cartoons. In addition, Rosenbaum has voiced Kid Flash in "Teen Titans," Deadman in "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," and Barry Allen in "Justice League: Doom" and several video games, among other DC voice roles. Needless to say, the actor has had a steady flow of work from Warner Bros. and DC since the turn of the millennium.

The CW's "Batwoman" was a show plagued by several behind-the-scenes changes, including lead star Ruby Rose's dramatic departure after Season 1. Despite that turmoil, Rachel Skarsten showed up and delivered big in a supporting role across all three seasons. She puts in a tour de force performance as Kate Kane's sister, Beth, who's also known as Alice of Wonderland in the series.

Before playing a villain, Skarsten actually portrayed a hero in her breakout role in 2002's "Birds of Prey" on The WB. On the show, Skarsten plays Dinah Lance, the daughter of the original Black Canary. Along with Helena Kyle, aka Huntress, and Barbara Gordon, aka Oracle, she keeps New Gotham City safe from all threats — including Harley Quinn, who has ascended from Joker's sidekick to supervillain extraordinaire. Unfortunately, "Birds of Prey" aired in the era before the golden age of comic book television and was canceled after only a single season.

Much like how Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton became synonymous with Superman and Batman, Lynda Carter will forever be connected to Wonder Woman. For three seasons, Carter played Diana Prince in the 1975 "Wonder Woman" television show, bringing the Amazon warrior to life on the small screen. For decades, she was the only live-action actor associated with the role, until Gal Gadot revived the character in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

Despite playing such an iconic superhero, Carter didn't say no when approached to play other DC characters. She appears as Chloe Sullivan's mother, Moira, in the "Smallville" Season 6 episode "Progeny." Carter also has a recurring role as U.S. President Olivia Marsdin in "Supergirl."

In 2020's "Wonder Woman 1984," Carter makes an appearance in a mid-credits scene as the goddess Asteria. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Carter revealed how much she enjoyed her brief cameo in the movie. "I was there on the set with Gal and her family, and me and my family, and Patty [Jenkins] and her family," she said. "It was just this intimate time with an epic film and an epic journey."