Brandon Routh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brandon Routh
Routh at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	(1979-10-09) October 9, 1979 (age 45) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Iowa (attended)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1999–present
Spouse(s)	Courtney Ford ​ ​ (m. 2007; separated 2025)​
Children	1
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Brandon Routh (born October 9, 1979) is an American actor. He became famous around the world for playing Superman in the 2006 movie Superman Returns. He is also known for playing the hero Ray Palmer / The Atom in several TV shows.

Routh has acted in many other movies and shows. He played the main character in the movie Dylan Dog: Dead of Night. He was also in the TV series Chuck as Daniel Shaw. He played the super-powered musician Todd Ingram in the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Starting in 2014, he joined the TV show Arrow as Ray Palmer / The Atom. He continued to play this character in The Flash and was a main star in Legends of Tomorrow. In 2019, he played both Superman and The Atom in a special TV event called "Crisis on Infinite Earths".

Early Life

Brandon Routh was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He was the third of four children. His mother, Catherine, was a teacher, and his father, Ronald, was a carpenter. He grew up in the nearby town of Norwalk, Iowa.

As a child, Routh didn't think he could become a full-time actor because he was from a small town. In his free time, he enjoyed playing the trumpet and piano. He went to Norwalk High School, where he played sports and was involved in music and theater. Another future DC Comics actor, Jason Momoa, went to the same school.

Routh has said he was a big fan of the Superman movies and comic books when he was young. After high school, he went to the University of Iowa for one year. He wanted to be a writer. To pay for school, he worked as a model and actor. Many people told him he looked like Christopher Reeve, the actor who famously played Superman.

Career

First Acting Roles

In 1999, Routh left college to become a full-time actor. He moved to New York and then to Los Angeles. He first appeared as an extra in a music video for Christina Aguilera. His first real acting role was in the TV show Odd Man Out.

He later appeared in shows like Gilmore Girls. From 2001 to 2002, he had a regular role on the soap opera One Life to Live as the character Seth Anderson.

Playing Superman

Warner Bros. spent many years trying to make a new Superman movie. When director Bryan Singer took over the project, he wanted an unknown actor for the role. He wanted to follow the tradition of Christopher Reeve, who was not famous before he became Superman.

Singer saw Routh's audition video and was very impressed. He thought Routh looked like the classic comic book hero. Singer also liked that Routh was from the Midwest, which he felt was perfect for the role. In October 2004, it was announced that Routh would be the new Superman. This news made him famous almost overnight.

To get ready for the role, Routh worked out and gained 22 pounds of muscle. The movie, Superman Returns, was released in June 2006. Many critics liked his performance. For his role, Routh won the "Best Superhero" award at the 2006 Spike TV Awards.

Although Routh was supposed to be in more Superman movies, they were never made. A new actor, Henry Cavill, was later chosen for the 2013 movie Man of Steel.

The Arrowverse and Other Projects

Routh in 2011

After Superman Returns, Routh acted in many different movies. He appeared in the comedy Zack and Miri Make a ... and played a super-powered villain named Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010).

He also had a major role in the TV show Chuck as a spy named Daniel Shaw. In 2011, he starred as a supernatural detective in Dylan Dog: Dead of Night.

In 2014, Routh returned to the world of DC Comics superheroes. He was cast as Ray Palmer / The Atom in the TV show Arrow. His character was a brilliant scientist who created a suit that allowed him to shrink.

His role as The Atom became very popular. He went on to be a main character in the spin-off series Legends of Tomorrow. He also appeared as The Atom in The Flash, Supergirl, and Batwoman.

In 2019, Routh got a special chance to play Superman again. In the big TV crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths", he played an older version of Superman from a different universe. He also played his role as The Atom in the same event. His time as a main character on Legends of Tomorrow ended in 2020.

Personal Life

Courtney Ford and Brandon Routh in February 2006

Routh married actress Courtney Ford on November 24, 2007. They had been together for several years. The couple has one son, who was born in 2012. Routh and Ford separated in 2025.

Routh's sister, Sara, is a singer. She recorded a song called "You're Never Gone" for the soundtrack of Superman Returns. In his free time, Routh enjoys playing the video game World of Warcraft.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Brandon Routh para niños