If the title “Smallville Cast: Reunion of Lost Choices” makes you go “huh?” you are not alone. The personalities presented at 1PM on Saturday in the Hilton Grand Salon kept the audience in stitches but didn’t lend themselves to a sequential retelling of the stories.
Moderator Thomas Parham’s introductions set the tone for the rest of the panel. Multiple-time guest star Erica Cerra and Season Eight’s Aaron Ashmore (Jimmy Olsen) came onstage without a hitch. Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum, however, could not leave well enough alone as they switched things up on Parham. I don’t think they fooled any of the Smallville fanatics in the audience. But just in case they did, Rosenbaum came out shirtless to make sure everyone forgave their hijinks. Of course, said hijinks were just beginning. All the panelists had a bit of snark to add to their stories. They played off each other well and made the hour-long panel entirely too short.
If you think that Rosenbaum is anything like his stoic and somber billionaire-alter-ego Lex Luthor, let me dissuade you of that notion. Welling may have been the star of Smallville, but Rosenbaum brought the room down with his tomfoolery. Some such antics, in no particular order, included: demanding a wireless microphone, spilling water all over the table while serving his castmates, drinking directly from the water pitcher, sitting in the middle of the crowd, and feeling audience members’ heads for oversized occipital bones. Of course, Rosenbaum brought a number of audience members to tears and/or fears by using his ill-begotten wireless microphone to roam the crowd for fan questions, comments, and more.
Erica Cerra was the panelist with the least time on Smallville. She had three separate guest appearances on the show over its 10-year run. Cerra played very different characters each time. Sadly, she didn’t have a lot to add about those appearances. She took her inexperience in the Smallville world in stride, however, and provided comic relief for the audience.
Aaron Ashmore played the iconic Jimmy Olsen for the latter part of the show. His memories included his favorite episode, “Noir.” He also expressed his appreciation for being on a show that was part of such a long legacy.
Tom Welling was, of course, the star of the Smallville universe as protagonist Clark Kent. Some of his insights included his favorite episode—the pilot. That episode also included his hardest scene, when he was hung on a cross. During his tenure, Welling directed a number of episodes as well as staring in the show. In one such episode, he was working so hard to get a scene blocked and staged correctly that he forgot to learn his lines for a scene. He expressed his appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes for the staff as well as all the work the writers and producers had to put in to ensure continuity with the larger DC universe. This was Welling’s first Dragon Con, and the audience made it clear that everyone hopes it won’t be his last.
