Superman’s Jimmy Olsen Actor Was Asked What He Brought To The Role, And His Answer Was So On Brand

Every so often, all the proper stars (in space) align for the proper stars (in Hollywood) to fill roles they were seemingly born to play. In the case of Psych vet and current Righteous Gemstones co-star Skyler Gisondo, many fans have long agreed that Clark Kent’s good-natured buddy Jimmy Olsen is the perfecto part for the ginger-headed talent. Thankfully, James Gunn shared that viewpoint and cast the 28-year-old for the upcoming DCU blockbuster Superman.

With just a pair of dialogue-light previews — the Krypto-heavy second promo was basically the first trailer with a longer lead-in — Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen has yet to get any time in the spotlight ahead of the movie’s summer release. Thankfully, the DC Studios Showcase podcast sat down with him to ask about his personal Superman fandom, and as well as playing the beloved role of the Daily Planet photographer.

After first addressing the hilarious backstory behind West Side Story and Happy Gilmore being his two most-watched VHS tapes as a kid, Gisondo provided quite the on-brand answer when asked what he brought to the role:

It's an on-brand answer because Skyler Gisondo doesn't seem to have an egotistical bone in his body, despite being a scene-stealing joy in essentially every project he's been in, from playing Jennifer Lawrence's little brother on The Bill Engvall Show to equaling the greatness of Timothy Olyphant, Drew Barrymore and Liv Hewson on Santa Clarita Diet. So if even he's saying he brought his best effort, then this may very well be the all-time greatest Jimmy Olsen anyone has ever seen or heard.

(I'm not sure any live-action version could ever top the character's run in Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber's stellar 2019-2020 maxiseries Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen. But that's neither here nor there.)

Skyler Gisondo humbly addressed the ongoing fan campaigns for him to be chosen as the DCU's Jimmy Olsen, and how it turned into a legitimate reality as soon as James Gunn was involved and showed off his own support. As he put it:

It has to feel good for an actor to hear that kind of unwavering support from a respected filmmaker, especially when it involves what could easily become the biggest upcoming 2025 movie of them all, and possibly even the biggest upcoming superhero movie until Avengers: Doomsday lands in 2026. But you know what the Avengers don't have? Jimmy flippin' Olsen.

Gisondo seemingly chalks it up to fate that his exact vibe was what Gunn & Co. were seeking with Superman's Jimmy, saying:

As it goes, the actor is undercutting the very things that makes him so enjoyable: he's Skyler Gisondo. So if Jimmy Olsen didn't require him to stray too far from his natural comfort zone, that just means the photog will instantly become one of the warmest and most comforting characters in the entire DCU.

Anybody who wants to check out Gisondo in his finest forms just needs either / both a Max subscription for The Righteous Gemstones and / or a Netflix subscription for Santa Clarita Diet. No disappointments to be had with either, save for the fact that neither will last forever.