Whoopi Goldberg Applauds David Corenswet's Fresh Take on Superman's Kindness
Whoopi Goldberg Gets Candid About Superman’s Softer Side
Whoopi Goldberg isn’t usually one to hide her true feelings, and she didn’t hold back when she met David Corenswet, the lead in the new Superman film, during her recent chat on The View. Sitting next to Corenswet and his co-star Rachel Brosnahan, Goldberg admitted she was 'annoyed' at first as she watched the movie. Why? She realized she’d simply forgotten what real kindness looked like in a superhero. After years of snarky, tough-talking comic book characters, the gentle and warm-hearted Superman threw her off her guard.
Goldberg confessed, 'You’re not the Superman I was expecting.' She said the sea of 'quippy' superheroes had changed what audiences expect. Instead of Superman spitting out rapid-fire jokes or showing off, Corenswet’s version relied on old-fashioned goodness. That surprised Goldberg—and won her over. 'I fell in love with you as Superman,' she told him, even mentioning her late friend Christopher Reeve, whose 1978 and 1980 performances are still considered classics.
Director’s Choice Sparks Debate, But Audiences Respond
This new Superman didn’t come without controversy. Director James Gunn wanted to bring back the charm and moral center of Superman—a risky move in an era where fans sometimes prefer their heroes brooding and broken. Gunn’s vision leaned into presenting Superman as a fundamentally decent guy, and not everyone was thrilled about it. Some conservative voices, like Fox News hosts and former Superman actor Dean Cain, were quick to call the film 'woke' and took issue with its modern sensibility. But Gunn stuck to his vision, making sure that the character's greatest power was his compassion, not just super-strength or heat vision.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the debate, the audience made their feelings clear. The film, which launched on July 11, 2025, racked up an impressive 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside an 83% critics' score. That’s a sign people were really connecting with this take. Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Lois Lane, and Goldberg steered clear of arguing with the backlash, focusing instead on the real impact that kindness and hope can have—even in fictional worlds.
That’s the thing: In a year full of bleak headlines and superhero fatigue, a genuinely kind Superman seems to have struck a chord. It’s not nostalgia, Goldberg stressed—it’s about remembering the power of seeing someone do the right thing for no other reason than because it’s good.