Annette O'Toole: from Lana Lang in Superman III to Martha Kent in Smallville

Who is Annette O'Toole, the actress who played two roles in the Superman mythology?

Annette O'Toole was born Annette Toole on April 1, 1952, in Houston, Texas: “O'Toole” is a stage name. She got her start on television in 1967, then made guest appearances in series such as My Three Sons (1967) and Gunsmoke (1970). Her first major film role came in 1975: in Smile, she played Doria, a beauty pageant contestant.

For a Superman fan, her name matters for one specific reason. She played two different characters from the legend in live action. First Lana Lang, Clark's childhood friend, on the big screen in 1983. Then Martha Kent, his adoptive mother, on television starting in 2001. Eighteen years separate the two roles. To place her among the actors who have brought the Man of Steel's universe to the screen, just remember two dates and two characters.

Annette O'Toole as Lana Lang in Superman III

Superman III was released in the United States on June 17, 1983. Directed by Richard Lester from a screenplay by David and Leslie Newman, it is the third installment of the saga with Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent and Superman. Richard Pryor plays Gus Gorman, and Robert Vaughn plays Ross Webster. Annette O'Toole was 31 at the time.

Clark heads back to Smallville for his high school class reunion. There he runs into Lana, a childhood friend. She is divorced and raising a little boy, Ricky (Paul Kaethler), on her own. Her old boyfriend, Brad Wilson (Gavan O'Herlihy), who used to bully Clark in high school, is still hanging around her.

During a picnic with Lana, Superman saves Ricky from a combine harvester. At the end of the film, she moves to Metropolis and becomes the secretary of Perry White, played by Jackie Cooper, at the Daily Planet.

Why Lana takes Lois's place in Superman III

Lois Lane is still played by Margot Kidder, but she appears in only two scenes, at the beginning and at the end. The American Film Institute (AFI) catalog mentions about five days of shooting. According to the AFI, the screenwriters picked Lana as the love interest: Clark's high school classmate, a strong presence in the comics, who had already made a brief appearance in the 1978 film, played as a teenager by Diane Sherry.

According to some articles, the producers wanted to punish Margot Kidder, who had criticized the firing of director Richard Donner. Producer Ilya Salkind denied it; according to Wikipedia, he cited “script reasons.” The AFI catalog puts forward a third explanation: the producers had considered removing Lois altogether, and Margot Kidder negotiated her fee before agreeing to those two scenes. The sources contradict each other, so keep all of these versions in mind.

Why Annette O'Toole? According to the AFI, which cites the September 1, 1982, issue of Variety, the producers hired her at the suggestion of the Newmans, who had written the part for her after seeing her on stage in San Diego. According to several sources, Jennifer Jason Leigh was reportedly considered before her and turned it down, feeling she was too young.

A poorly received film, a Lana Lang who stood out

Superman III does not have a good reputation: 31% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes (104 reviews, checked on October 11, 2026). Critic Leonard Maltin calls this sequel “appalling.” That verdict targets the film, not the actress's work.

Her Lana, on the other hand, got noticed. Annette O'Toole was nominated at the 11th Saturn Awards, presented on March 24, 1984, in the Best Supporting Actress category; the award went to Candy Clark for Blue Thunder. In 2022, an article from DC listed her chemistry with Reeve among the film's strong points.

In the list of Man of Steel films, this third film comes before Superman IV, released in 1987. Annette O'Toole does not appear in any other Superman film.

Annette O'Toole becomes Martha Kent: a last-minute casting change

In 2001, the series that tells the story of Clark Kent's youth is in preproduction. The pilot is first shot with Cynthia Ettinger as Martha. During filming, everyone, Ettinger included, feels that she is not right for the role. Annette O'Toole replaces her and reshoots her scenes. TV Guide then describes it as a “last-minute” casting change.

In 2021, she told the KryptonSite website that she hesitated at first, then said yes after reading the pilot. She was coming off the cancellation of her series The Huntress (aired in France as Les Associées). The pilot aired on The WB on October 16, 2001; she was 49. In 2001, TV Guide saw it as things coming full circle, and she joked that her next role might be Lois Lane's grandmother. A fun little nod: in the series, Lana is played by Kristin Kreuk. So the big-screen Lana plays Clark's mother right next to the small-screen Lana.

How many seasons was Martha Kent on Smallville?

This is the question that often trips people up. Smallville ran from October 16, 2001, to May 13, 2011, over 217 episodes. Annette O'Toole was part of the main cast for six seasons, from 2001 to 2007. She then came back as a guest star in three credited episodes, in 2010 and 2011. So she was not on the show for its entire run.

The exact number of episodes is still debated: Wikipedia notes a few absences in seasons 4, 5, and 6, and the fan wiki counts 132 episodes in which she is credited. Stick with the safe version: six seasons as a regular, more than a hundred episodes, then three returns. To follow Martha's arc, the season-by-season guide gives you your bearings, and the show's cast introduces you to the people around her.

Martha and Jonathan: the Kent couple of Smallville

Her on-screen husband is Jonathan Kent, played by John Schneider. The actress says they hit it off right away, starting with the 2001 press tour, and that they often did their interviews as a pair. In 2005, they were nominated together at the Teen Choice Awards for their pairing as on-screen parents, the mom and dad of the Kent family.

The turning point comes in season 5. “Reckoning,” which aired on January 26, 2006, is the series' 100th episode. That night, Jonathan wins the election for the Kansas State Senate against Lex, then dies of a heart attack in front of Martha and Clark. Martha is later offered her husband's seat, and she accepts it. The farm mom becomes a state senator.

Why Martha Kent leaves Smallville in 2007

On screen, the departure plays out in “Prototype,” which aired on May 10, 2007. Senator Burke is killed, and Martha leaves for Washington to take his seat in the United States Senate. Clark, played by Tom Welling, gives her his blessing and promises to take care of the farm.

For the actress herself, the reason is simpler. In 2021, she explained that she felt underused and wanted to move on to something else. In 2010, she had also said that she did not keep watching the series after leaving: it was painful, and she was doing a lot of theater. One regret keeps coming up: Christopher Reeve, her Superman from 1983, plays Dr. Virgil Swann in two episodes, but the two of them never shot a scene together on the show.

Annette O'Toole's return: the Red Queen and the finale

Martha returns in “Hostage,” on May 7, 2010, with a new companion: Perry White, played by Michael McKean, her real-life husband. At the end of the episode, we learn that she is the Red Queen: from Washington, she works behind the scenes to protect Clark, opposing Amanda Waller, according to Wikipedia. In the episode, Chloe makes it clear that the Red Queen is not part of Checkmate.

In season 10, in “Beacon,” Martha gives a speech against the Vigilante Registration Act and ends up being shot at. Finally, she is among the guest stars of the first part of the finale, on May 13, 2011. Clark sees Jonathan there, but Martha does not: the actress says the idea was her own suggestion. In “Kent,” where Martha gives the farm to Clark and Lois, she only speaks over the phone and never appears on screen.

Annette O'Toole's career beyond Superman

In 1982, she appeared in Cat People and in 48 Hrs., alongside Nick Nolte. In 1990, she played the adult Beverly Marsh in the miniseries It, based on the Stephen King novel, as well as Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in The Kennedys of Massachusetts, a role that earned her the only Emmy Award nomination of her career. She also played Lisa Bridges, the ex-wife of the title character in Nash Bridges.

With Michael McKean, whom she married in 1999, she co-wrote “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” for the film A Mighty Wind (2003). The song was nominated for an Oscar in 2004. She then appeared in Halt and Catch Fire (2014-2015) and, since 2019, has played Hope McCrea in Virgin River, on Netflix.

Conclusion

Annette O'Toole entered the Superman legend through two different doors. In 1983, she was the Lana Lang Clark reconnects with in Smallville. In 2001, she arrived at the last minute on Smallville and became Martha Kent, alongside John Schneider. Remember the right numbers: six seasons as a regular, then three returns, including her turn as the Red Queen.

To go further, compare her with the other Lana Langs, from the comics to the TV series.