Diane Lane is the third actress to play Superman’s adoptive mother, Martha Kent, in a theatrical movie. Just like in previous stories, she and her husband, Jonathan, found the baby Kal-El after his rocket landed on Earth, and they raised him as their son, Clark Kent. While Kevin Costner’s Jonathan has departed to the great beyond, Lane is still participating in the DCEU for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but she still remembers the good times shooting Man of Steel, including an amusing moment when she saw Henry Cavill in his Superman suit.
During an interview with Collider, Diane Lane humorously recalled a stand out moment when they were shooting a scene in the brutal Illinois (meant to serve as Kansas) heat, and she looked over at Henry Cavill in costume and was overcome with deep feelings. She said:
Hanging out and waiting in the sweltering heat in the tent, and having air conditioning being pumped toward Henry [Cavill] who was sitting in a chair in his costume –I don’t know, is it a uniform? It’s a costume if you’re an actor, but I don’t mean it as a costume if you’re Superman, I mean it as his… did it get pre-packed from his planet?
Diane Lane went on to describe the sight of Henry Cavill in the Superman suit as “surreal” and an “indelible moment.” It was so much that when she filmed her next scene, the time from action to cut went by in a blur. Although folks have seen Superman on the big screen before, just being part of the production is a different experience, and seeing Cavill as the Last Son of Krypton clearly left an impact on the actress while she participated in Man of Steel. Though not long after, I imagine, she wanted some ice water to cool down in that punishing heat.
After counseling her son in Man of Steel and enduring rough treatment at the hands of General Zod and his followers, Diane Lane’s Martha Kent continues to play a role in Clark’s life in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. We’ve seen previews of her telling Clark that he can take any path he chooses with his life, and that he doesn’t owe this world a thing as Superman.
Unless you’re a critic or one of the lucky few who’ve attended a fan screening already, how Martha fits into the rest of the movie is still a mystery. Following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it hasn’t been revealed when/if Diane Lane will reprise the character. Since Man of Steel 2 isn’t a guarantee at this point, one of the Justice League movies would be he next best bet. Lois Lane is already reportedly in Justice League: Part One, and that movie will feature other supporting characters connected to the heroes, like Mera and Commissioner Gordon. Maybe then can fit a Martha Kent cameo somewhere.
You can see Diane Lane’s Martha Kent this Friday when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters.
