Meet the new baby-faced Superman star, David Corenswet

David Corenswet sits high above New York City, knowing that few people would recognize him as the next Superman even if he walked the busy streets. According to People magazine's exclusive cover story, the 31-year-old, baby-faced, Philadelphia native has that perfect Superman look but remains largely unknown to the general public.

People reports that Corenswet often hears he looks like Superman, but people don't realize he actually plays the iconic hero. The dark-haired, 6-foot-4 actor first gained attention for his role as River on Ryan Murphy's series “The Politician,” but playing Superman was always his dream job. He once told Entertainment Weekly it was his pie-in-the-sky ambition, though he thought it was impossible that anyone would get to play Superman. After a secret audition process, he beat out bigger names, including Patrick Schwarzenegger and Nicholas Hoult, to land the role in James Gunn's upcoming “Superman” movie.

The actor's personal life has been just as exciting as his career breakthrough, with Entertainment Weekly revealing that he married his wife, Julia, in 2023 after a slow-burn romance that started when they were teenagers. Entertainment Weekly reports that the couple welcomed their first child right around the time Corenswet began filming Superman in early 2024, creating what he calls two big unknown things happening at the same time.

The new father says he feels like he has been a dad for a long time and was just waiting for a kid to prove it. His own father, actor-turned-lawyer John Corenswet, was an enthusiastic parent who stayed home with David's sister when she was young. David inherited his father's way with children and enjoys telling terrible jokes that nobody laughs at, though his whale joke did get some chuckles during his People interview. At home in Pennsylvania, he enjoys working on DIY projects like changing light fixtures and learning about electrical work and plumbing.

Director James Gunn chose Corenswet because he has all the charm and muscles a Superman needs, plus what one friend described as such a Superman face. Comic Book Movie notes that recent magazine covers show Corenswet taking flight as the new Man of Steel, giving fans their best look yet at the actor in costume. Comic Book Movie reports that early box office predictions suggest the movie could open with between 140 and 185 million dollars domestically, which would be considered a strong start.

The film also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as villain Lex Luthor, with a large supporting cast including Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Gunn has said this Superman story focuses on someone who is truly good in a world that doesn't always value goodness, making the character's ability to fly and shoot laser beams secondary to who he is as a person. The movie arrives in theaters on Friday, July 11, marking the beginning of a new era for DC Comics movies under Gunn's direction.