Brandon Routh

Brandon James Routh was born on October 9, 1979, in Des Moines, Iowa, and grew up in Norwalk. He is the son of Catherine Lear, a teacher, and Ronald Routh, a carpenter. Routh attended the University of Iowa and participated in many productions at the Norwalk Theater of Performing Arts. His professional acting career began in 1999 with a role in the ABC television series “Odd Man Out.” He subsequently appeared in “Gilmore Girls” and MTV’s “Undressed,” and had a recurring role as Seth Anderson on the soap opera “One Life to Live” from 2001 to 2002. Routh gained significant public attention when he was cast as Superman in the 2006 film “Superman Returns.” Director Bryan Singer selected Routh after a lengthy search, citing his resemblance to the comic book character and his humble Midwestern background. Routh’s performance in “Superman Returns” garnered generally positive reviews, with Newsweek noting he “effortlessly lays claim to the iconic role,” and earned him a “Best Superhero” award at the 2006 Spike TV Awards. Although signed for potential sequels, the film’s box office performance led to a reboot of the franchise, and Routh’s contract for the role expired.

Following his turn as Superman, Routh continued to build his filmography with diverse roles. He appeared in the independent drama “Fling” (2008) alongside his wife Courtney Ford, the comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” (2008), and played Todd Ingram in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010), reprising this role in the 2023 animated series “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.” In television, Routh took on a recurring role as Daniel Shaw in season three of NBC’s “Chuck” (2010-2011) and starred in the CBS sitcom “Partners” (2012-2013). A significant turning point in his career came in 2014 when he joined The CW’s “Arrow” as Ray Palmer, also known as The Atom. This role expanded into a starring position in “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (2016–2021) and included guest appearances on “The Flash.” He reprised his Superman role, specifically an older, Kingdom Come-inspired version, in the 2019-2020 Arrowverse crossover event “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” appearing across “Batwoman,” “Supergirl,” and “The Flash.”

In recent years, Routh has continued his work in television and film. He appeared in “The Nine Kittens of Christmas” (2021), a sequel to “The Nine Lives of Christmas” (2014), and had a guest role in an episode of “Quantum Leap” (2023). Before his acting career, Routh was featured as an extra in Christina Aguilera’s 1999 music video for “What a Girl Wants.” Beyond his professional life, Routh engages in sports such as soccer and basketball, swimming, and biking. He also actively supported Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential election, speaking at a rally in Iowa. Routh married actress Courtney Ford in 2007, and they have a son. Ford filed for divorce in January 2025, with a settlement reportedly reached shortly thereafter.