Superhero TV Shows That Switched Leading Role Actors: Batwoman, Lois Lane, Superboy, Catwoman, Alura

 A couple of weeks ago, the producers of the hit CW Network superhero show Batwoman announced that they were replacing a lead character (after a season). In today's blog, thanks to an article from TV Line Com, you'll read about other superhero programs where lead actors had to be switched out while the show was still very popular. 

(The Batwoman:  Ruby Rose (left) Javica Leslie (right) Credit: CW Network)

BATWOMAN (2021)

The actress Ruby Rose who played "Kate Kane" the original Batwoman decided for various reasons she would not continue as the lead character after the first season.  So, writers didn't want to killed her off, and in the current and second season, they developed a totally new character, Ryan, who makes a wonderful new take on the character.  The second season also hints that the Kate Kane character is dead, but it turns out she's not.... and she's being replaced by an actress named Wallis Day, who was in the great SYFY 2 season series "Krypton." Kate won't take over the Batwoman role, but it shows how complicated these things get. 

 (The Kate Kanes: Ruby Rose and Wallis Day) 

The following were from an article in TVLine found at: https://tvline.com/gallery/recast-tv-roles/superman-adventures-of-1952-1957/?ref=https://tvline.com/2021/03/21/batwoman-recast-kate-kane-wallis-day-ruby-rose/

Adventures of Superman‘s Lois Lane (1952-1958)

 (Photos: Credit: American Broadcasting Company

Phyllis Coates (inset) originally played Clark Kent’s colleague and Superman’s No. 1 gal, but when sponsorship for Season 2 took too long to secure, the busy actress became unavailable to continue on as Lois Lane. Noel Neill, who had played the Daily Planet reporter in a pair of Superman film serials, stepped in and got the job done for the next five seasons.

Batman‘s Catwoman (1966-1968)

Photo : Shutterstock (3)

Julie Newmar (left) quickly proved popular as Catwoman over the camp-tastic comedy’s first two seasons. But when she became unavailable due to her filming of a movie, Eartha Kitt (right) put her own purrrrfect spin on the vamping villainess in Season 3. But cat’s not all! Lee Meriwether (inset) played the role in a TV-movie that was filmed after Season 1, while Newmar was nursing a back injury.

Superboy‘s Clark Kent/Superboy

Photo : SUPER SWITCHEROO! (PHOTO : COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION)

This syndicated 1988 superhero series first starred John Newton as the Boy of Steel, but as part of a Season 2 overhaul — and reportedly because Newton sought a significant salary bump from producers who had not been impressed by his performance thus far — Gerard Christopher took over the flights and tights for Seasons 2 through 4. (Newton went on to have runs in series such as 1993’s The Untouchables and the original Melrose Place, while Christopher would later play Sunset Beach‘s Dr. Carl Brock.)

Supergirl‘s Alura  (The character is Supergirl's mother) 

Photo : Courtesy of The CW

During Season 1 of the Arrowverse series, Laura Benanti played both the evil Astra and, in flashbacks, her twin sister Alura (aka Kara’s mother). After Astra was killed off, Benanti made a few more appearances as a hologram Alura, but she eventually vacated the role to pursue Broadway projects. But what’s most of note in this instance is that Erica Durance, best known for playing Smallville‘s Lois Lane, was brought on in Season 3 to holo-counsel Kara (and later turn up alive).