The core Smallville cast everyone usually means is the main starring lineup across the show’s 10 seasons, especially the early WB/CW years and later Justice League–era seasons.

Main original stars

These are the faces most associated with Smallville ’s early seasons and Clark’s origin story.

  • Tom Welling – Clark Kent, the future Superman and heart of the series.
  • Kristin Kreuk – Lana Lang, Clark’s first great love and longtime Smallville resident.
  • Michael Rosenbaum – Lex Luthor, Clark’s friend-turned-archnemesis in a slow-burn fall from grace.
  • Allison Mack – Chloe Sullivan, original “best friend,” reporter, and Torch editor created for the show.
  • Sam Jones III – Pete Ross, Clark’s early best friend in the first seasons.
  • Annette O’Toole – Martha Kent, Clark’s adoptive mother and moral compass.
  • John Schneider – Jonathan Kent, Clark’s farmer dad and key influence on his values.
  • John Glover – Lionel Luthor, Lex’s ruthless, enigmatic father.

Later-season leads

As the show shifted from high school drama toward proto–Justice League superhero vibes, new leads joined.

  • Erica Durance – Lois Lane, introduced in season 4 and later becoming a romantic lead and reporting partner.
  • Jensen Ackles – Jason Teague, a major season 4 character with ties to Lana and mysterious family secrets.
  • Aaron Ashmore – Jimmy Olsen, Daily Planet photographer and comic-legacy character.
  • Laura Vandervoort – Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, Clark’s Kryptonian cousin in later seasons.
  • Justin Hartley – Oliver Queen / Green Arrow, billionaire vigilante and team leader figure.
  • Cassidy Freeman – Tess Mercer, a complex LuthorCorp executive who becomes a central power player.
  • Sam Witwer – Davis Bloome / Doomsday, paramedic with a dark destiny in one of the show’s darkest arcs.
  • Callum Blue – Zod / General Zod, Kryptonian military villain with a major storyline in the later years.

Quick “who’s who” table

[3] [3] [3] [3] [5][3]
Actor Character Role type
Tom Welling Clark Kent Main lead / future Superman
Kristin Kreuk Lana Lang Early main love interest
Michael Rosenbaum Lex Luthor Friend-turned-villain
Erica Durance Lois Lane Later main love interest
Justin Hartley Oliver Queen / Green Arrow Hero team leader figure

“Quick Scoop” style notes

  • The Smallville cast is still active on the convention circuit, often reuniting for Q&As, livestreams, and fan events that keep the show trending in nostalgia waves.
  • Online forums and subreddits still debate favorite seasons, ships (Clark/Lana vs Clark/Lois), and villains, keeping cast performances part of ongoing fan culture discussions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.