Tom Welling

Thomas Joseph Welling is an American actor, director, producer, and former model. He is best known for starring as Clark Kent in the television superhero drama series Smallville from 2001 to 2011. His career also encompasses prominent roles in television series such as Lucifer and The Winchesters, alongside feature film appearances in Cheaper by the Dozen, Draft Day, and The Choice. Beyond acting, Welling has worked behind the camera as a director and executive producer.

Welling was born on April 26, 1977, in Putnam Valley, New York. During his youth, his family moved frequently, living in Wisconsin, Delaware, and Michigan. He attended Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan, where he initially acted in plays before shifting his focus to sports, playing baseball, soccer, and basketball. Raised alongside two older sisters and a younger brother, Welling worked in construction after high school before entering the entertainment industry.

In 1998, Welling was discovered at a party in Nantucket by a casting director who encouraged him to try modeling. He subsequently modeled men's clothing for major brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein, Dior, Thomas Burberry, and Tommy Hilfiger, working with Louisa Modeling Agency until moving to Los Angeles in 2000. Transitioning into acting, he appeared in the music video for Angela Via's "Picture Perfect" and earned his first major television role in 2001 as recurring character Rob "Karate Rob" Meltzer on the CBS legal drama Judging Amy.

Welling achieved his breakthrough after being cast as Clark Kent in Smallville, which premiered on The WB in October 2001. His portrayal earned him several awards and nominations, including Teen Choice Awards for breakout star in 2002 and action adventure actor in 2009. During the show's run, Welling made his directorial debut in 2006 and ultimately directed seven episodes. He also served as a co-executive producer during the ninth season and as a full executive producer for the final season. Outside of Smallville, he served as an executive producer on the CW comedy-drama series Hellcats.

In film, Welling made his feature debut as Charlie Baker in the 2003 comedy Cheaper by the Dozen, later reprising the role in Cheaper by the Dozen 2 in 2005. His other film projects include the horror remake The Fog, the historical drama Parkland, the sports drama Draft Day, and the drama The Choice. Welling returned to main television roles as Lieutenant Marcus Pierce in the third season of Lucifer from 2017 to 2018, reprised Clark Kent in a 2019 Batwoman crossover episode, and joined the dark fantasy series The Winchesters as Samuel Campbell in 2022. That same year, he launched the Smallville rewatch podcast Talkville alongside co-star Michael Rosenbaum.