Getting on a moving train isn’t always easy, but Erica Durance managed to do it two decades ago with her Season 4 arrival on Smallville as reporting legend Lois Lane. With her rare combination of dynamic energy, acting punch and true love of Lois as a character, Durance instantly clicked with not only the cast, but the character as a whole. Since the show, Durance led the medical drama Saving Hope, and has done everything from Hallmark to Horror. We caught up with Durance ahead of her September 12 & 13 appearances at Ottawa Comiccon to talk about her early career in horror, shifting life goals, and how Smallville has stayed so eternally relevant to viewers and her!
Durance will be available for photos and autographs on both dates, as well as appearing on ‘Smallville on Stage’ with Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang) and Laura Vandervoort (Supergirl) on Saturday, September 12th.
Ottawa Comiccon will take place Friday, September 11th through Sunday, September 13th, at the Cohere Centre (4899 Uplands Dr.) For more info on Ottawa Comiccon and how to see Durance, head to the link: https://ottawacomiccon.com/
Ottawa Life: It’s fascinating how many stars get their start in horror movies and often, in many cases, horror sequels, like Leonardo DiCaprio in Critters 3 and Charlize Theron in Children of the Corn 3. So given you also had early appearances in film with horror flicks The Untold aka Sasquatch and Butterfly Effect 2, how did you find those roles, and how did they prepare you for your long career in TV?
Erica Durance: I think that every little thing I’ve done has kind of led me to the various jobs that I had. And everything is a little bit of experience. And so, when I did The Untold, to me, it was very exciting. I was such a young, new actress; I got to play suspense and intensity, and test my mettle, as it were. And I got to play Lance Henriksen’s daughter, so it was a very, very cool experience for me. I think each thing that I’ve done has given me a little bit more confidence in my ability to do something. So that had a level of intensity that I needed; there was a lot of stuff that I had to imagine and manifest on my own, because I was primarily on my own in that. So it helped me build a little confidence to do the next thing, and then the next. And then Butterfly Effect 2 came along when I was in the middle of Smallville. So, it was my first kind of movie offer in my world. And so, for me, it had a level of excitement. I loved the first Butterfly Effect. So, it all felt a little bit larger than life at the time when I went to go do it. And again, it was stretching my muscles, because there was a level of, oh, this is an actual film that has a little bit of a following. And so I look at each one of those as just building blocks to the next thing!
Ottawa Life: Speaking of building blocks to the next thing, you joined Smallville four seasons in, so you were jumping on to a moving train. So, from your perspective, how was the process of coming on in that initial season, where you were basically doing guest appearances every couple of episodes? And then how did that differ from when you really joined as a regular fixture of the show?
Erica Durance: It was so unexpected. The way that things were cast at that point, too, is nobody in Vancouver really would get. I called them: the LA jobs!, which is high-profile. And so, I originally wasn’t going to do it. And they said, just go in and do this audition. And I said, “Okay, fine.” So, it was something that was so outside my own particular idea of it being possible, that it’s kind of in hindsight now, when I look back. I think, “What a crazy journey, here’s this kid from Alberta, tried out for this thing, it was supposed to be four episodes, she didn’t think she’d be doing it. And then all of a sudden, she gets a call, and I’m whisked to LA, and I’m going through the whole process.” And I just felt really out of my element. And then I get the part on a Friday, and I’m to start working with Tom Welling on Monday. So, he’s the lead… and it was just, “What am I doing?” I think I felt like I was in that mode for at least two or three years. And then I started thinking, “Oh, I don’t think they’re gonna fire me.” And I never felt complacent with that attitude, but maybe a little bit more secure. I started allowing myself to have a little more fun. But I still didn’t think it was going to be something that would last a really, really long time. I was keenly aware that I was jumping on something that was very popular, doing really well, and that that can propel you to things that you never thought you’d be able to do. So, all of a sudden, I’m part of this thing; we’re flying all over the world; I have a level of notoriety that is getting me movies like Butterfly Effect 2, and different kinds of offers. And so, it really had my career, if I want to even say the word career, going in a direction I didn’t expect. So, I think your analogy of a fast-moving train is a really good one. Because all of a sudden, I went from a horse-drawn carriage to this train that I was on. It was great!
Ottawa Life: Watching the show, you see Lois Lane appear this late in the series, but between your performance and the writing, it immediately feels like a fully formed character. A few episodes in,you’ree drinking the frat boys under the table, like Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it just felt like, “This is Lois Lane! This is exactly the type of thing she would do to get a story.” But obviously, you’re living the reality behind making that character. So, was there an actual moment that it clicked that you were a main part of the show?
Erica Durance: I think there were little mini moments of magic, even in the four episodes. I knew they were happy with the work because you can definitely hear when they’re not pleased. There were little magic moments, like when we did the dunk tank in the first four episodes I was there, and Tom and I had a bit of unplanned interplay — it was fun and light. And I was like, “Oh!” First of all, I realized I was a little bit of a junkie for it. I’m like, “Oh, I like this feeling.” And I could tell that everybody was happy about that interplay. So then your logic goes, “Okay, this is the lead of our show, and we’re connecting well and having fun.” And it’s a flavour that they don’t have on the show. And then I remember the last episode that I did, or it might have been the last scene of the four-episode run. I say, “See you around Smallville.” And I hit him on the shoulder, and I walk away, and I thought, “Oh! I think I might be coming back. This is cool.” And I remember feeling that and they craned up the shot and everything. Maybe I superimposed my own imagination on that, but I remember feeling really, really cool at that moment. Like, “Okay, this is a solid gig.”
Ottawa Life: How was it interacting with Margot Kidder? I know she had these sporadic appearances, so you probably didn’t even interact. But it’s crazy they could even get you both on the same show. Just like it was insane to imagine that Christopher Reeve got to have scenes with Tom. Did you ever have a passing-the-torch moment with Margot? It’s interesting, considering she came from Yellowknife too, so you both have that smaller-Canadian-town connection before going to Hollywood!
Erica Durance: I remember the vibe on set that everybody was very, very excited that Margot Kidder was coming. So that in itself was her kind of stamp of approval. We all felt good about that. I didn’t actually get to work with her, which was a real shame. However, I did see her at a convention once. But it was my first tour of conventions. When I first got Lois, they wanted me to push the character. So, I went to a couple of conventions. I was in Toronto, and somebody came up behind me and put their hands on my eyes. I was like, “What is happening?” And then they leaned in and said, “You hit it out of the ballpark.” I turned, and it was Margot Kidder! And that might be one of the coolest moments of the Superman experience for me.
And then we went and did a panel together. And she grabbed my hand, and we were walking to it. And she said, “Never let them see you sweat.” I’ve taken that with me for my whole life. It’s such a wonderful bit of advice. She was so cheeky, and my experience with her was really good.
Ottawa Life: You have kept up with various Superman shows and movies since Smallville, more than most actors, so I was curious if you’ve seen James Gunn’s 2025 Superman, and what you thought of Rachel Brosnahan’s performance as Lois? Particularly since it feels so close to yours.
Erica Durance: That’s so interesting. But sadly, I didn’t watch it. I do think she’s a wonderful actress, but I have not seen that incarnation of Superman. I read that David Corenswet wanted to be Tom’s character. So maybe they kind of crafted it all to have some of the similar peppiness or the banter back and forth. But it’s an odd and cool thing to hear that. I would say I always like to pull myself away from it and go, “I’m sure that whatever she did, I don’t think she was trying to emulate me.” She probably was just doing her thing. And she’s so good. I never think of myself as somebody that people would emulate. But I also don’t think that time has passed and 25 years have passed. So there’s the possibility that it’s out there, and people are comparing.
Ottawa Life: Maybe one day you’ll be sneaking up behind Rachel and tapping her on the shoulder at a convention like Margot did to you!
Erica Durance: Yeah! What I really am happy about in moments where I chat with different people, and I’m in that space where I’m older, is if I have an opportunity to encourage somebody, it’s really exciting to be in that spot and say to a younger person, “Hey, you’re doing great. Don’t worry about it.” To be in that position and play that role, I would be happy to do that.
Ottawa Life: You said recently that you might pivot to early childhood education, so what led you to opening that door?
Erica Durance: Before I was ever going to get into acting, I wanted to study child psychology. When I was a little kid, I was always working in the nurseries and the daycares. I liked being with kids and the idea of being somebody that is around them in those formative years where they are getting an imprint on what it is to be human. I liked to interact in a way that created positivity and good growth. So, to me, I’ve always looked for a way: how do I connect with other people? And as I’ve gotten older, I thought, you know what, I probably would enjoy that experience, whether it was just simply working in a daycare or doing something like that. That’s kind of my age group. And I want to do something that’s maybe a little bit outside the business now, and kind of test my mettle, as it were, as a human being and find a different way to give back. But it’s always been something in my psyche from the very extreme when I was a little kid, and I wanted to work in an orphanage and live in another country, to something a little bit more basic. So, I guess I’m searching, and I’m at a spot where I want to be able to say to myself, you know, I don’t have to say, “Oh, no, that’s a ridiculous idea.” I want to go, “Oh, maybe I’ll explore it. Maybe I’ll just study it and learn a little bit about it.” But it’s always been a thing for me, working with kids or education.
Ottawa Life: You had a spot in the Kent family barn on Smallville that you would always go to to hide and practice lines! Have there been any spots like that you’ve used on future sets since?
Erica Durance: When I worked on Saving Hope, we had a whole stage that was a hospital. And there was just this one space, this one room behind a curtain that I would go to. I would sit in this one spot when I needed to focus, mainly because I feel a little bit silly. I don’t want to invade anybody else’s experience of their day where they’re just walking around doing their thing, andI’mm being super intense somewhere. So I usually put myself in a spot where I’m not going to be in someone’s way, but I’m not going to get easily distracted as well. So I had one room, and it was kind of not Erica’s room, but that’s where I always ended up going and kind of refocusing, getting myself ready so that I could be as efficient as possible on set.
Durance will be available for photos and autographs on both September 12th & 13th, as well as appearing with ‘Smallville on Stage’ with Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang) and Laura Vandervoort (Supergirl) on Saturday, September 12th.
Ottawa Comiccon will take place from Friday, September 11th through Sunday, September 13th, at the Cohere Centre (4899 Uplands Dr.) For more info on Ottawa Comiccon and how to see Durance, head to the link: https://ottawacomiccon.com/
