Even with Warner Brothers' decades-long struggle to bring Superman back to cinematic relevance, it remains a great honor to anyone who gets to put on the blue suit and red cape, and brings with it a certain set of expectations. Such a responsibility is now bestowed upon British actor Henry Cavill, who will turn 30 in early May, a month before Man of Steel's theatrical release. As with any high-profile film project, many actors were tested, but the film's producers saw something in Cavill that told them he was the one to portray both the regal superhero and their interpretation of mild-mannered journalist, Clark Kent. "There is an innate sort of kindness about him," director Zack Snyder told Empire Magazine's Ian Nathan. "Without him seeming holy, he is able to be kind in a way that feels natural. That is such a rare quality in the world today."
Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill was born on May 5th, 1983 in the Channel Islands of the United Kingdom, off the coast of Normandy, France. Growing up he considered further studies in Egyptology, but was more drawn to acting, performing in school plays and eventually landing a major film role at the age of 17, playing Albert Mondego in the 2002 adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo. Cavill was later cast in other small roles in films spanning the rest of the decade, including Tristan & Isolde, Stardust, and the Woody Allen-directed Whatever Works, and headlined 2011's Immortals, an action film set against the backdrop of Greek mythology. However, it was perhaps his role as the suave, womanizing Charles Brandon on the Showtime series, The Tudors, that gave him the most acclaim. Spanning four seasons, his Brandon, friend and duke to Jonathan Rhys Meyers' King Henry VIII, emerged as the only character to appear, other than the king himself, in all thirty-eight of the series' episodes.
Perhaps most intriguing about Cavill's background is found in the career-changing roles on which he narrowly missed out in recent years. Rumors persist that the author of the immensely popular Twilight novels, Stephenie Meyer, had Cavill long in mind for the role of vampire Edward Cullen, but producers deemed him too old for the part when the movie readied production. The immense popularity of the film (and its four sequels) went on to make Robert Pattinson a household name, and was the second role Cavill had lost to his fellow Brit, following the character of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Cavill was also said to have been a finalist for the much-publicized casting search that led to Daniel Craig's naming as James Bond for Casino Royale to begin the property's post-Pierce Brosnan era. Around that time, Cavill had also been heavily scouted by Warner Brothers to play, coincidentally, Superman, before Singer eventually decided to go with newcomer Brandon Routh for 2006's Superman Returns, which failed to resonate with audiences and put future films of America's first superhero on hold, that is, until now. Cavill's casting in this upcoming iteration of the last son of Krypton thus brings with it a redemptive quality, not only giving the actor a potentially great reward for his patience, but also the opportunity to be the face of his own lucrative franchise.
Not taking the opportunity of a lifetime for granted, throughout filming and in these last few months before release, Cavill is said to have been a great ambassador for the role. He attended last year's Comic-Con in San Diego with director Snyder to promote the film and show new footage, and during production and everywhere since has been happily stopping to chat and get his picture taken with adults and children alike, all enamored with the new superhero standing before them. In addition, just days ago he became the latest celebrity to join the American Library Association's READ campaign (poster below), helping to show that, even off-screen, he is emulating Superman's trademark nobility and upholding the character's moniker of the Big Blue Boy Scout. No matter how Man of Steel is received, it is safe to say that, come June, Cavill's life will never be the same, and I'm quite sure he feels that way already.
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