Michael Rosenbaum

With a seven-year run on the superhero drama "Smallville" (The WB, 2001-06; CW, 2006-11) and a long resume of voice-over gigs as various superheroes, Michael Rosenbaum became one of Hollywood's go-to actors for comic book fare. Prior to his star-making turn as the bald arch-villain Lex Luthor on "Smallville," Rosenbaum found some success performing in teen horror films and sitcoms during the late 1990s, including "Urban Legend" (1998). Though he made strides in the sitcom world as a series regular on "The Tom Show" (The WB, 1997-98) and "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane" (The WB, 1999-2000), Rosenbaum found his niche in 2001 as the complicated and devious Luthor. His natural affinity for comic book subject matter also led to a series of voice-over roles in animated shows like "Teen Titans" (Cartoon Network, 2005-06) and "Justice League" (Cartoon Network, 2001-06). Though Rosenbaum left "Smallville" in 2008 to pursue other interests, he continued to satisfy fans by not abandoning the comic book world that helped make him a star.

Born on July 11, 1972 in Oceanside, NY, Rosenbaum was raised in Newburgh, IN by his father, Mark, who worked in pharmaceuticals, and his mother, Julie, a writer. After graduating from Castle High School where he first discovered his passion for acting, Rosenbaum earned his bachelor's in theater arts from Western Kentucky University. Immediately following his graduation, Rosenbaum moved to New York City to pursue an acting career and spent several years attempting to develop a reality show with MTV called "The Temp," which was shot, but never aired. He also appeared in several off-Broadway plays and independent movies, while becoming a regular face on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (NBC, 1993-2009) in a skit called "The Amsterdam Kids." In 1997, Rosenbaum moved to Los Angeles, where he began to land small but significant roles in notable films like Clint Eastwood's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" (1997) and the popular horror flick, "Urban Legend" (1998).

On the small screen, Rosenbaum was a series regular on the short-lived sitcom, "The Tom Show" (The WB, 1997-98), starring Tom Arnold as a down-and-out divorcé who returns to his Minnesota roots with his two daughters to piece his life back together. He had a major breakthrough in 1999 when he landed a regular role on "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane" (The WB, 1999-2000), a teen-centric sitcom that focused on four high school friends. Rosenbaum was the selfish and egotistical Jack, who had a cynical and sarcastic twin sister, Jane (Azura Skye). Lasting only two seasons, the show was seriously revamped after its first, even to the point of renaming it "Zoe," to which Rosenbaum expressed his disappointment. Nonetheless, he impressed the network enough for them to bring him onto another new series, which soon proved to be more of a career-maker.

As the future arch villain Lex Luthor on "Smallville," Rosenbaum finally had his first major onscreen success. The show focused on a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling), as he discovers his alter-ego as Superboy while struggling to exist as a regular high school student. Rosenbaum's role as Clark's friend, rival and future enemy was multi-layered and complex. Fans and critics stood up and took notice, with Rosenbaum winning the prestigious Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series in 2002. The affable, telegenic Rosenbaum was also nominated for a Teen Choice Award no less than four times between 2002-08. During his run on "Smallville," the ever-busy Rosenbaum continued to take on film roles - from indie dramas like "Poolhall Junkies" (2002) to gross-out comedies like "Sorority Boys" (2002). Following a small role in the hit comedy, "Bringing Down the House" (2003), starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah, he voiced Ruffshodd in the live action/CGI combo, "Racing Stripes" (2005) and had a small part in the horror thriller, "Cursed" (2005).

His biggest success outside of "Smallville," however, came in the form of voiceover work for cartoons. Besides shorter runs on "Jackie Chan Adventures" (Cartoon Network, 2000-05) and "Teen Titans" (Cartoon Network/Boomerang, 2003-08), Rosenbaum was the voice of The Flash for 56 episodes of "Justice League" (The WB, 2001-08), a critical and commercial hit series that garnered several Emmy nominations. After stepping into the director's chair for a few episodes of "Smallville," Rosenbaum decided that his time on the show was through and left in 2008 to pursue other roles. The following year, he voiced a character in the long-delayed sequel, "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" (2009).