In a shocking move, Jordan Elsass, who played Jonathan Kent on The CW’s hit Superman & Lois, did not return to the show’s Vancouver shooting location at the designated time to begin filming Season 3. Instead, he contacted Warner Bros. TV, who in turn issued a statement that Elsass would not be back and that his character would be recast.
Now the young actor has spoken about his departure via a Cameo to a fan. Elsass admits that he has been struggling with his mental health and isn’t sure that he will return to acting at all.
In the Cameo, Elsass stated:
“It’s been a tough few weeks, as you might imagine, with everything going on with the show. It’s sad, it’s a real shame. I know that I was pumped for Season 3, for sure, but what are you going to do? Anyway, mental health is definitely 100-percent priority. It’s pinnacle. It’s got to take precedence. And mine has been … the last couple of years … it’s been rough.”
Via @jordanelsass1 Cameo (1/2)#SupermanAndLois pic.twitter.com/3zZwD8gZ9V
— Mastani ™ Loves #SupermanAndLois Verse (@DevsMastani) August 22, 2022
(I seriously thought Cameos were just famous people wishing fans “Happy Birthday” not… this.)
A role on a CW series would seem to be the big break that most young actors would kill for and indeed, Elsass has earned great reviews for his work on Superman & Lois. He is up for a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Network/Cable Series, alongside his costar Alex Garfin, who plays his brother Jordan.
But sometimes not every performer is equipped for the spotlight that comes with a successful project. Hopefully, Jordan Elsass can get the rest and help he needs and the guidance to prepare him for what comes ahead, whether that’s in acting or not.
The character of Jonathan Kent will be recast as the storylines for Season 3 have already been written. Showrunner Todd Helbing previously discussed Jonathan’s storyline saying:
“The [new] fortress should be for the family. So Jonathan’s definitely going to be brought into the fold in that respect. We’ll see if he gets his own suit, if he follows Nat’s lead, and how it all unfolds. We definitely want to bring Jonathan into that superhero life more than he has been.”
Once again, good luck and speedy recovery to Jordan Elsass! Superman & Lois will debut its new season in early 2023.
