Whoopi Goldberg Was 'Annoyed' by Superman—for the Most Unexpected Reason
David Corenswet is drawing plenty of praise for his turn as the Man of Steel in James Gunn's Superman, but he also got an unusually honest reaction from Whoopi Goldberg this week—live, on air.
During the July 10 episode of The View, Goldberg told Corenswet to his face that his performance actually annoyed her… at first. Not because it was bad—but because it caught her off guard emotionally.
"I'm thinking, 'OK, OK, OK, this is all right.' And, progressively, I felt myself getting annoyed," Goldberg said. "And I couldn't figure out what was happening, and what it was, was I forgot what kindness looked like."
Goldberg admitted she came into the film expecting another sarcastic, wisecracking superhero — something more in line with the current Marvel-inspired mold. But Corenswet's portrayal stuck closely to Superman's original spirit, and it ended up catching her completely off guard.
"I kept waiting for Superman to become quippy… and he's not that. He's never been that," she said. "So I fell in love with you as Superman."
She went further, saying the performance made her reflect on her own expectations and how much the superhero genre has changed:
"Who have I become that I didn't recognize the kindness? Why was I waiting for you to turn into somebody you have never been?"
Goldberg also mentioned her close friendship with Christopher Reeve and said Superman reminded her of what made the character iconic in the first place.
Corenswet, sitting alongside co-star Rachel Brosnahan, shared what the experience meant to him — especially a moment involving Reeve's son, Will, who was present on set during filming.
"That kind of encouragement coming from anybody who really means it genuinely — and then I got to sit down and talk with him a little bit about his dad, and his experience… just an incredible experience to be able to link those."
He also joked about the reality of stepping into the iconic suit:
"I must admit I had to muster some courage… you're just out there. It's just you in your tights. It can all go terribly wrong."
With Superman now in theaters as of July 11, reactions like Goldberg's are showing just how much this version of the character is resonating with audiences — not through bombast or bravado, but by simply reminding them what hope and decency look like. Even if it takes a little annoyance to get there.