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The final episode of Smallville aired on The CW in May 2011, after nearly one decade of the show on air. Smallville was a massive success, with a devoted fan base and high ratings throughout its ten-season run. It was also lauded for its clever use of the Superman mythos, and its ability to appeal to both hardcore fans of the DC comics, as well as “casual” viewers.
Smallville followed the story of a young Clark Kent, played by Tom Welling, as he navigates life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, and grapples with his emerging superpowers. Along the way, Clark encounters a cast of memorable characters, including his various love interests and his eventual arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor.
One of the key factors in Smallville‘s success was its talented cast. Tom Welling was a convincing and likable Clark Kent, although that role nearly went to Jensen Ackles. The show’s ensemble cast also consisted of the likes of Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, Annette O’Toole as Clark’s adoptive mother, Martha Kent, and John Schneider as Clark’s adoptive father, Jonathan Kent.
Also playing a major role in the early seasons of the series was Canadian actress Kristin Kreuk. What has she been up to since her final appearance on Smallville?
Kristin Kreuk Famously Played The Role Of Lana Lang In Smallville
Kristin Kreuk portrayed the character Lana Lang in Smallville, a role she played from the pilot episode in 2001, until her final cameo in 2009. Lana was a high school student in the town of Smallville, and was one of Clark Kent’s closest friends. As the show progressed, Lana and Clark’s relationship deepened, and she became an important figure in his life as he struggled with his growing superpowers.
Kreuk portrayed Lana as a smart, independent, and determined young woman who was not afraid to stand up for herself and those she cared about. The character was also a complex and multi-faceted one, and the actress did an excellent job of bringing out the different sides of her personality.
Kreuk was also praised for her on-screen chemistry with co-star Tom Welling, although the creators of the show have since admitted that the story of their relationship was a little too drawn out. Still, the dynamic between Lana and Clark was a key part of the show’s appeal, and their relationship was a major reason why viewers tuned in week after week.
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What Happened To Kristin Kreuk After Smallville?
Kristin Kreuk’s final cameo as Lana Lang in Smallville happened in the Season 8 episode titled Requiem in February 2009. Later that month, she played the titular role in the crime-drama film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, which was written by Justin Marks and directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak.
In 2010, Kreuk featured as Tirzah in the CBC/ABC TV miniseries Ben Hur, which also starred Joseph Morgan and Emily VanCamp, among others. She also appeared as a character named Hannah in four episodes of Chuck, the NBC action-comedy spy-drama series by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak.
Kreuk’s first major television role post-Smallville came in 2012, starring as Catherine Chandler in The CW’s science fiction police procedural series Beauty and the Beast. The show was a modern retelling of the classic fairy tale, with Kreuk’s character filling the role of Beauty.
Kreuk proved her commitment to her work once again in Beauty and the Beast, as she underwent intense physical training to prepare for the action scenes in the show.
Kristin Kreuk Also Starred In Burden Of Truth
The other main role that Kristin Kreuk has taken on television since she left Smallville is as Joanna Hanley (later Joanna Chang) in the legal drama Burden of Truth on CBC. Joanna is depicted in the show as a high-powered corporate lawyer who returns to her hometown of Millwood, Manitoba, to investigate a mysterious illness affecting local high school girls.
As was the case with Tom Welling in Smallville, Kreuk’s chemistry with Burden of Truth co-star Peter Mooney (who plays Joanna’s law partner Billy Crawford) helps to make the series’ legal cases and character relationships a key part of its appeal. The Vancouver-born star was also an executive producer on the show, which gave her a greater level of creative input and ownership over her character and the storylines she was involved in.
Other TV parts that Kreuk has taken on in the last dozen years or so include in Robot Chicken, Ghostwriter and Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher. In 2011, she played Heather Thompson in the movie Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy. The actress’ other big screen roles have come in films like Space Milkshake and the 2017 short, The Emissary.
