The character that is Lois Lane debuted alongside Superman in Action Comics #1 in 1938. She was Superman/Clark Kent’s love interest, but she was also a fierce reporter in her own right. The character has developed greatly since then, but Lois has remained both a talented reporter and a worthy partner for Superman. No matter what adaptation it is or what actor is playing Superman, Lois Lane is an essential part of the Superman mythos. She is truly one of the most popular characters and figures in the DC Universe.
The casting search for Superman: Legacy was a highly publicized one, with many talented performers testing together for the part of both Superman and Lois Lane. On June 27, 2023, it was announced that David Corenswet would play Superman and that the role of Lois Lane has been awarded to Rachel Brosnahan, who most audiences likely know as Midge Maisel on the award-winning series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Brosnahan joins an esteemed group of actresses that have played Lois Lane. Let’s take a look at the best live-action portrayals of the great Lois Lane as Brosnahan gets set to join the list.
8 Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns, 2006)
Bryan Singer’s 2006 Superman Returns was the first major Superman film in nearly 20 years, with Brandon Routh as the title hero, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, and James Marsden as Lane's fiancé Richard White. The film did end up generating the third-highest worldwide box office revenue of the franchise.
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Bosworth is a strong actress with a very solid acting portfolio but seemed a bit young for the role at just 22 years of age, and her Lois doesn’t feel as fleshed out as other portrayals. The writing also doesn’t give her much initiative, with much of her character revolves around the different men in her life. She does a pretty decent job in this major role, but the character is lacking some of that strong spirit for sure.
7 Phyllis Coates (Superman and the Mole Men and Adventures of Superman, 1951-1953)
When Whitney Ellsworth and Robert J. Maxwell created the series The Adventures of Supermanin 1952, Phyllis Coates took on the role of Lois Lane, the reporter and love interest of George Reeves’ Superman. Typical for the time period, she is often made to be the damsel in distress for Superman to save. However, she also shows her strength as a reporter in a world of men, embodying a classic investigator feel in her portrayal.
Her can-do attitude and inquisitive personality would remain with the character through various adaptations up to the present. Like Noel Neill, who is also on this list, Phyllis Coates was a game-changer in this role because of her ability to break barriers and hang tough both on and off-screen in a time when both female actresses and female characters were not what they are today.
6 Amy Adams (Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League, 2013-2017)
Amy Adams is an extremely talented actress. That is evidenced by her roles in The Muppets (2011) to American Hustle (2013). But while she does everything she can as Lois, a lot of her performance is hindered by the writing of her character. When she debuted in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel in 2013, she was a great reporter who seemed to be Superman’s (Henry Cavill) equal.
Her later appearances, however, have drastic cuts in screen time and more simplified storylines where she’s little more than the love interest. It’s a shame that such a brilliant actress doesn’t have the opportunity to truly show her brilliance in the role. It also appears to be a good idea that Snyder's full plan for Lois never got to be fleshed out, where she was supposed to die to turn Superman evil, as well as having a secret relationship with Bruce Wayne, resulting in having his child.
5 Noel Neill (Superman, Atom Man vs. Superman, and Adventures of Superman, 1948-1958)
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Noel Neill is the first actress to play Lois Lane in a live-action format. She debuted the role in two film serials, then took over the role from Coates for The Adventures of Superman TV series. She played Lois from season two until the show’s end. While she still serves as the damsel at times, she is also portrayed as smart and capable, even more so than the men she works with.
She also isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and her abilities. Her Lois also has a sweet romance arc with Superman that feels genuine. Neill brings heart to the role and even continued making brief appearances in Superman films until her death in 2016. Simply put, Neill was a trailblazer and an icon on and off of the big screen.
4 Teri Hatcher (Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, 1993-1997)
Deborah Joy Levine’s series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Supermansees Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain as the famous duo of Superman and Lois Lane. In this adaptation, Lois’ name is first in the title, and Hatcher’s performance lets you know just how important the character really is. The series is more of a drama than the superhero TV shows we’ve come to know, which fits the characters well.
Their romance is the center point, and Hatcher does a great job of balancing the romantic parts with the fierce reporter that Lois is. She’s fully capable and in control of her role, and Hatcher captures that confidence. The Desperate Housewives star was a tremendous choice for the role of Lois. That much is certainly true.
3 Elizabeth Tulloch (Supergirl, Superman & Lois, 2018-Present)
Developed by Greg Berlanti and Todd Helbing, 2021’s Superman & Lois sees the title duo, played by Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch, back in Smallville to raise their twin sons. Her Lois has great emotional depth and a deeper backstory than some portrayals, and Tulloch captures all the complexity. In addition, she and Clark have a relationship that is sweet and funny but still realistic, with great chemistry between the actors. She is stubborn – almost too much at times – but also caring and supportive and remains an equal partner to both Clark and Superman. The recently concluded season 3 featured a storyline involving the character of Lois Lane developing breast cancer and how it impacts both her and Superman.
Tulloch also played Lois Lane in the CW series Supergirl, but it is a different incarnation of the character from the television series Superman & Lois establishes that the series takes place outside of the main Arrowverse.
2 Margot Kidder (Superman, Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV, 1978-1987)
The 1978 film Supermanwas directed by Richard Donner and serves as the hero’s first major motion picture. The film’s poster says, ”You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly,” and Margot Kidder’s Lois is just as responsible for that magic as Christopher Reeve’s Superman. She takes the early aspects of the character and fully cements them, creating Lois as she’s seen today.
She’s tough and brash but also funny and soft, fully in control of her writing, yet romantic with Superman. She brings every facet of the character to life, is great on her own and in scenes with Reeve, and remains one of the strongest Lois Lanes of all time.
1 Erica Durance (Smallville, 2004-2011)
Hired just days before filming began, Erica Durance was a breath of fresh air when she entered the fourth season of Miles Millar and Alfred Gough’s Smallville series. As a big city girl new to Smallville, she's miles ahead of everyone else yet still likable and relatable. She's smart and funny, trading banter with Tom Welling’s Clark. She delivers everything you could want for Lois: clever sarcasm, genuine emotion, fierce investigative talent, and a beautiful slow-burn romance with Clark.
Her performance also develops over seven seasons, a character origin story almost as complete and detailed as Clark’s. By nature of being a television series, audiences are given more time with this version of Lois Lane and to see her transform into the iconic reporter audiences know her to be. Durance reprised her role as Lois Lane in a cameo for the Arrowverse crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths.
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