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Speaking to Howard Stern in a new interview, Fraser recalled how he and half a dozen others did screen tests for J.J. Abrams’ “Superman: Flyby” movie in 2002. According to previous reports, the list included Hollywood young guns like a then 20-year-old Henry Cavill, “Supernatural” star Jared Padalecki, Ashton Kutcher, “Rosewell” actor Jason Behr, and as Fraser revealed during his sit-down with Stern, the late “The Fast and Furious” frontman Paul Walker.
“Everyone in town was reading for Superman,” Fraser remembered. “They were testing six or seven guys,” he said, noting how Walker auditioned before him. “They were like, you know, the usual suspects.” For Fraser, just being able to have a chance to possibly play such an iconic and career-defining role like Superman was gratifying, but also scary. “You know, of course, it’s a life-changing amazing opportunity, but I had to reconcile with, ‘Okay, say you do get the job to be the Man of Steel. It’s going to be chipped on your gravestone. Are you okay with that?'” Fraser explained to Stern. “There was a sort of Faustian bargain that went into feeling [that], and I think inherently I didn’t want to be known for only one thing, because I prided myself on diversity my whole professional life. And I’m not a one-trick pony.”
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While Fraser, who didn’t get cast as Superman, was fighting with himself over playing the part, the project actually wound up becoming a missed career boost, in his mind, when looking back on everything. “I felt disappointed that there was an amazing opportunity and it didn’t come to fruition,” Fraser told Stern. But Fraser got another big chance at notoriety in the end, as he is one of the favorites to take home the gold at the Oscars on March 12 — if he can beat out this season’s awards juggernaut Austin Butler.
