Smallville Star Tom Welling’s Top 10 Best Movie and TV Show Appearances Ranked

While still in the middle of his Smallville career, Tom Welling took his shot at horror, playing Nick Castle in The Fog. The film, whose reception was less than desirable, was a remake of John Carpenter’s 1980s hit. Despite being a young and generally inexperienced actor at the time, Welling put in a compelling performance that raised the film’s watchability to average, at the very least.

After leaving Smallville, Welling got another chance to diversify his career on the big screen, playing Secret Service agent Roy Kellerman. Parkland is a historical drama that covers the chaotic proceedings from the streets to the Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas, after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. It is made of a series of intertwined stories from the eyes of different people that were present.

While his character doesn’t get much screen time, Tom Welling bears the demeanor of a seasoned secret service agent at his best in a high-pressure situation perfectly. The film doesn’t have many highlight performances, but Welling’s is one of the few that stand out. He proved his ability to use his face and movement to bring a character to life without necessarily doing much talking.

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This was an attempt at a high-octane crime drama that didn’t exactly go according to plan, although Tom Welling and Cam Gigandet make amazing partners. Welling plays Terry, an ex-con who gets released only to be forced into working in an undercover team investigating a criminal network led by Griff (Gigandet).

Unlike his superhero role in Smallville, Terry in Mafia Wars is a figure shrouded in mystery whose loyalties are divided. Welling brings the figure to life with a compelling presence that totally steals the scene. Unfortunately, the film’s script didn’t give sufficient depth to his character, leaving him to grapple with a pretty predictable plot.

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Lionsgate’s The Choice is one of the most underrated romantic dramas of the 2010s, with the gripping chemistry between Teresa Palmer and Benjamin Walker leaving a lasting impression. Tom Welling also puts up a compelling performance in the film, although his character doesn’t get a lot of screen time.

Welling was tasked with portraying Terry, Gabby’s grumpy on-and-off boyfriend who just won’t stop standing in the way of true love. His physicality and long-face theatrics make him the perfect villain for the film. While there is nothing wrong with his performance, the script doesn’t give him much room, making his character quite forgettable.

Set in the 1970s, The Winchesters explores the Winchester family history, focusing on young versions of John Winchester and Mary Campbell as they become monster hunters before Supernatural. Tom Welling got significant screen time portraying Samuel Campbell, Mary’s father. Having grown as a person too, the character was a great opportunity to see Welling as a father figure, older and wiser than Clark Kent.

Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just one season, but not before Welling’s convincing performance. He impresses as a seasoned monster hunter and a fiercely protective father, with his stoicism and gruffness doing most of the work in bringing Samuel Campbell to life.

Draft Day 2014 failed to live up to its high expectations despite impressive performances by most members of its star-studded cast, which included Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Terry Crews, and Chadwick Boseman. For Welling, this was a chance to diversify by starring in a sports drama alongside some of Hollywood’s best actors.

His character, Brian Drew, is a rebellious quarterback, a role that is starkly contrasted with his Smallville role. Welling’s performance adds depth to Drew, expressing the realistic emotion of a struggling athlete who just won’t give up. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much recognition for the role because the film was a flop.

Professionals was another opportunity for Welling to diversify his career in a non-superhero role. Welling plays the lead role of Vincent Corbo in the series, with his first mission, which covers the entirety of the first season, taking him to investigate a conspiracy against a billionaire client, Peter Swann (Brendan Fraser), and his companies.

He puts up a commanding performance in the series, portraying Corbo as a seasoned soldier with a unique flare that makes him stand out from traditional onscreen security roles. Stoic and resolute, but not without a smile, is the best way to describe Welling’s charm in the role. Unfortunately, the show’s continuity is in jeopardy after failing to secure a home for a second season.

The rumored animated Smallville sequel doesn’t seem to be going forward after DC Studios was rebooted under James Gunn. This short appearance by Welling as Clark Kent and Erica Durance as Lois Lane could be the actual conclusion of Smallville. In the show, Welling appeared in the Arrowverse crossover episode titled Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Welling plays a Clark Kent variant that can’t be hurt by Lex Luthor’s Kryptonite because he gave up his powers and settled on a farm with Lois and their two daughters. In this nostalgic return, Welling slips effortlessly back into the role, proving that he has the ability to adapt, meaning he could actually have continued playing the role for longer without losing his charm.

Charlie Baker is Tom Welling’s second most famous career role after Clark Kent. He played a role in both Cheaper by the Dozen 1 and 2, acing it both times and becoming one of the highlights of both films. Welling totally owned the role of the rebellious teen dealing with all the baggage of living in a large family despite the role being quite different from Clark Kent in Smallville.

His best performance came in Cheaper by the Dozen 2, in which his character is a lot more mature and taking on more responsibility. In both films, Tom Welling portrays his growth as a person and an actor outside of his long-running Smallville role. His diversity as an actor is also apparent in the way he seamlessly blends in with everyone in the two films’ large ensemble cast, including being the ideal big brother to the youngest ones.

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It was hard to imagine anyone stealing the stage from Tom Ellis in Fox’s Lucifer until Tom Welling’s grand entrance in the third season. Despite his character being the season’s main villain, the biblical Cain, Welling put on a layered performance that made the character admirable from the start. He even emerged as a possible love interest to Chloe Decker (Lauren German), a position previously only associated with Lucifer.

When his character had to portray his dark side, Welling still gave a commanding performance, turning Cain into one of the show’s most menacing villains. Unfortunately, his character had to be written out of the show, but it was proof that fans haven’t seen the last of Tom Welling on TV just yet.