SUPERGIRL Casts Tyler Hoechlin as Superman

At last, we can say goodbye to texting and instant messaging Clark Kent.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the CBS CW series Supergirl has cast Tyler Hoechlin as Kara's cousin Superman/Clark Kent!  According to the article, Superman "will first be seen visiting his cousin Kara (Melissa Benoist) in National City at the beginning of the series' second season when it moves to its new home on The CW."

"Greg [Berlanti] and I have wanted to work with Tyler for ages," said executive producer Andrew Kreisberg, "so this worked out perfectly because Tyler is Superman.  We are so thrilled and humbled to add another amazing actor to the legacy of this iconic character."

Hoechlin, 28, is best known as Derek Hale on the MTV series Teen Wolf and also appeared in the films Fifty Shades Darker, Everybody Wants Some!!, Solstice, and Road to Perdition. In addition, he's appeared on episodes of the TV series Castle, Lincoln Heights, CSI: Miami, and 7th Heaven.

Created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman first met his cousin Kara Zor-El in 1959's Action Comics (vol.1) #252.  Kara was born and raised in Argo City (unnamed until later issues), a fragment of Krypton that survived destruction.  When the city was doomed by a meteor shower, Kara was sent to Earth by her parents, Zor-El and Alura (unnamed until later issues), to be raised by her cousin Kal-El, known as Superman.  Supergirl adopted the secret identity of an orphan "Linda Lee", and made Midvale Orphanage her home.  Supergirl promised Superman that she would keep her existence on Earth a secret, so that he may use her as a "secret weapon", but that didn't stop Supergirl from exploring her new powers covertly.

Hoechlin will be the sixth actor to portray Superman/Clark Kent on live-action television after George Reeves, John Haymes Newton, Gerard Christopher, Dean Cain, and Tom Welling.

Supergirl will return for Season 2 on The CW in the fall.