Michael Rosenbaum (aka Lex Luthor) Leaving Smallville

Michael Rosenbaum Says Next Season Will Be His Last

Brian Tubbs
If bad guys make the show, then Smallville could be in trouble. Michael Rosenbaum has confirmed that next season will be his last as Lex Luthor. Will next season also be the last for Smallville? Rosenbaum has done things with the Lex Luthor role that no other actor has, and perhaps no other actor could. It's hard to imagine Smallville without him.

Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor debuted on screen just one month after the tragic September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It was October 2001 when Smallville first appeared on television - then the WB, now CW. Smallville traces the life of a teenage Clark Kent who wrestles with his alien identity, discovers new powers, and tries to keep it all a secret - while also learning how to just...well...be a man.

The series opened with Clark Kent saving Lex Luthor from certain death in a terrible automobile accident - an act that forged a friendship doomed to fail. Luthor was mesmerizing as an earnest, young billionaire trying to get out from under the controlling, shadow of his estranged, yet protective father. Lionel Luthor was the Big Bad Dude for the first couple of seasons, with Lex on the tightrope -- deciding which direction to go (Good or Bad). Sounds a lot like Star Wars, I know. But that's about right. Would Lex choose the Light Side or the Dark Side?

Well, over time, Lex's path has taken a darker turn to where he is now, without any doubt, the series villain. And his friendship with Clark has of course long since fractured. To complicate matters, however, Lex has found what appears to be true love in the arms of Clark's ex-girlfriend (and so far, only real love), Lana Lang.

Rosenbaum's complex portrait of Lex Luthor has lifted the cultural iconic villain to new artistic heights. In Rosenbaum's hands, Luthor is not the cardboard cut-out villain of yesteryear's Superman serials, nor the over-the-top, for-laughs version given us by Gene Hackman in the 1980s Superman movies. No, Lex Luthor has emerged as one of the most interesting villains ever to appear on television. And, well, that's coming to an end.

The good news for Smallville fans is that the end is still a ways off. Rosenbaum will finish this season, the series' sixth. And he'll do next season. But, after that, it's bye-bye to the man who many credit with making Smallville the most interesting Superman series to date.

Published by Brian Tubbs

Brian Tubbs is the Feature Writer & Columnist for Protestantism at Suite101.com, the principal blogger for the American Revolution & Founding Era blog, and the founder and course manager for ChristianMarriag...   View profile

  • E! Online
  • Michael Rosenbaum debuted as Lex Luthor in October 2001
  • Rosenbaum's Luthor is one of the most complex and interesting villains in TV history
  • Rosenbaum will make next season his last

59 Comments

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  • antoinette 1/15/2011

    Antoinette 24
    Clark and lex back

  • Ginny 11/30/2010

    No one can play Lex but Michael alone. Hated to see him go. He sure is a great actor

  • ssekyadda james venom 10/28/2010

    I really love the way he acted in all seasons, I like to be his friend, ma email is jmcvenom@gmail.com

  • bukkie allison 1/10/2010

    smallville cannot survive without lex...he has given definition to the movie..like a lifeline, smallvilee's flavor...his character is so critical to to the story we cannot afford not to have lionel n then lex? the lurthurs have given more meaning to the superman story like no other and rosebaum is just soperb...pls pls pls something has to done about this..the abnormalies are getting to much..too much twists to the story n it is so so obvious...who cares about lana..she is so freaking annoying anyway...but PLEASE bring back lex...no lex no smallville..

  • Charlotte 5/19/2009

    Smallville can not survive without Lex. You have a Love/Hate relationship with him. I have bought every season but will stop now if Lex is gone.

  • Donna 3/17/2009

    Lex is the only reason i watched the show...there's NO WAY it will survive without him!! Without Lex Luthor, there is NO Clark Kent!!! And what about Chloe, is she really dead too? Did Brainiac REALLY take her for good???

  • Lori Crawford 2/8/2009

    I'm watching the latest episode right now and I've gotta say I really miss Michael as Lex.

  • jean(phillipines) 1/5/2009

    your so gorgeous lex luthor......

  • >>>alphAmad 11/1/2008

    please please priti please cant he just be payed more to stay on smallvile???!smallvile for me is like days of our lives to my grandomther!after this long i dont know how i will do without it!:'( smallville cant go on without a lex and i really dont want it to end im sure so many others worldwide feel the same!!not now when its finally reached the 'is it a bird, a plane?' part... :'(

  • PLOYSIAM 10/20/2008

    That's hard to think about that! and i saw u when i was on high school and till now i'm in university.
    1st time i 'm wondering about that and i think is not imossible...but now it's possible!!!

    that's fine..what ever u stand. me and everybody wacth u out and keep concentred on it.
    every1 'll see u grow up to the next step!


    I saw ur sherloved. that's really freaky funny! actually i do9n't understand that gag but sherloved makes me happy!













    Cheers up from BANGKOK THAILAND!!!!

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