David Corenswet

1993–present

Latest News: David Corenswet Stars in Superman

David Corenswet was at his home near Philadelphia in summer 2023 when he received a phone call from an unknown number. It was Superman director and writer James Gunn offering him the movie’s lead role, but at first, Corenswet didn’t believe it.

“I said, ‘Can you prove that?’ Because I was in a suspicious mood,” Corenswet told co-star Nicholas Hoult in an interview for Wonderland Magazine. “I never think I’m being pranked. But in the moment, it occurred to me, ‘How am I supposed to know?’ People knew I was screen-testing for Superman.”

It was, in fact, Gunn on the phone, and now the 31-year-old is the new Man of Steel. He’ll debut as the superhero and his alias Clark Kent in the July 11 blockbuster, also starring Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Hoult as Lex Luthor.

The movie is already shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest, with early estimates projecting Superman could earn as much as $185 million its debut weekend.

Actor David Corenswet stars in the 2025 DC Studios movie Superman, in which he portrays the superhero and his alter ego Clark Kent. The Philadelphia native began stage acting at age 9 and graduated from the renowned Juilliard School in New York City. After several guest-starring TV roles, he earned breakout parts in the Ryan Murphy–led Netflix series The Politician and Hollywood before appearing in the movies Pearl and Twisters. The new Superman marks the most prominent project yet for Corenswet, who replaces Henry Cavill in the titular role.

FULL NAME: David Packard Corenswet
BORN: July 8, 1993
BIRTHPLACE: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
SPOUSE: Julia Best Warner (2023–present)
CHILDREN: 1 daughter
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer
HEIGHT: 6 ft. 4 in.

David Packard Corenswet was born on July 8, 1993, and raised in Philadelphia’s Center City neighborhood. Both his late father, John Corenswet, and his mother, Caroline Packard, worked as lawyers. David also has an older sister, Amy, who became a lawyer like their parents.

David has another notable family connection: His maternal grandfather, author Edward Packard, created the popular Choose Your Own Adventure book series.

Similar to John, who started out as an actor in New York City before he transitioned to law, David became interested in performing at an early age. Because his family didn’t have cable TV, he often watched VHS tapes of classic Hollywood movies featuring Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, the Marx Brothers, and other stars.

After seeing his sister in a production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof, David was inspired to begin acting. He made his stage debut at 9 years old in an Arden Theater production of the Arthur Miller play All My Sons. “I had a very full-on introduction to the craft, doing two scenes in Act One of one of the greatest American plays ever written,” Corenswet told Entertainment Weekly in 2019. “Then going home before intermission so I could get to bed early and wake up for school the next morning.”

Embracing his self-professed identity as a “theater kid,” David continued performing with the Upper Darby Summer Stage, the Pennsylvania theater group that also claims actor and comedian Tina Fey as an alumna.

David participated in an a cappella choir and played sports at the Shipley School, a college preparatory school in Philadelphia suburb Bryn Mawr, before his 2011 graduation. He attended nearby University of Pennsylvania for one year while studying psychology then transferred to The Juilliard School in New York City to pursue acting. The performing arts academy has trained several notable actors, including Robin Williams, Jessica Chastain, and Viola Davis.

While at Juilliard, David co-wrote and starred in Moe and Jerryweather, a YouTube comedy series with his friend Adam Langdon. But upon receiving his Juilliard degree in 2016, he was ready to showcase his talent on a grander stage.

Corenswet picked up one-time roles in a variety of TV shows, including Elementary and Instinct in 2017 and 2018, and made multiple appearances on the Netflix drama House of Cards in 2019. He joined the cast of another political drama, Affairs of State, in a leading part, but the 2018 movie didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Also in 2019, Corenswet landed one of his breakout roles in The Politician, the Netflix political satire series produced by Ryan Murphy and starring Ben Platt. Corenswet played River Barkley, a popular high school student running for student body president against Platt’s lead character.

The Politician, anchored by star Ben Platt, was the first project that earned David Corenswet some notice.

The actor’s mix of traditional good looks, charisma, and performing ability impressed Murphy, who described Corenswet as “a unicorn” and compared him to Leonardo DiCaprio. Corenswet returned in the series’ second season in 2020 and teamed with Murphy that same year for Hollywood, a miniseries on the streaming service.

With Murphy’s glowing endorsement, even bigger projects arose. Corenswet had his biggest year yet in 2022. The actor enjoyed featured parts in the six-episode HBO biographical limited series We Own This City, the romantic comedy movie Look Both Ways, and the period horror Pearl, starring Mia Goth.

Then in 2024, Corenswet played storm-chasing antagonist Scott in Twisters, his first bona fide blockbuster. Starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, the standalone sequel to the 1996 cult classic Twister grossed more than $372 million worldwide. As Twisters was filming, Corenswet was in the process of auditioning for one of the most recognizable characters in comic book and film history—and on the verge of his dream role.

Playing Clark Kent in Superman

Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet portray Lois Lane and Clark Kent in the 2025 movie Superman.

Corenswet previously shared with Entertainment Weekly his “pie-in-the-sky ambition” was to play the beloved DC Comics superhero Superman. His vision became reality in 2023 when Corenswet was cast as the Man of Steel in a new big-screen version of the franchise, written and directed by James Gunn.

“Would this be worth doing if this was the only thing I do as an actor for the rest of my life? I think the answer is yes,” Corenswet told Time of playing the character, previously portrayed by Christopher Reeve, Henry Cavill, and others.

Despite his ambitions becoming reality, Corenswet hasn’t adopted a supersized attitude. “I’ve seen sets that cater to an actor or director’s ego, and that’s just not something that would happen with David,” Gunn told Time. “He is Superman, even in his nerdiness. He listens to old jazz standards... just as normal procedure.”

The movie, which arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025, also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

Upcoming Roles

After his turn as the caped hero, Corenswet will play former football player John Tuggle in Mr. Irrelevant, an upcoming sports biopic taking its title from the nickname given to the last player selected in the NFL draft. The movie is currently in production, and a release date hasn’t been announced.

Julia Best Warner and David Corenswet have been married since 2023 and maintain a very private relationship.

Corenswet has been married since March 2023, but he and his wife, Julia Best Warner, have kept a tight lid on their relationship. She is also an actor, and they are listed as spouses on their respective IMDb profiles. They made their first public appearance on a red carpet together in July 2025 for a Superman premiere.

When The Times of Israel reported on Corenswet’s wedding at a Jesuit church in New Orleans, his wife’s identity was unconfirmed. In a June 2025 interview with People, Corenswet described his relationship as a “slow burn” romance. The outlet, which only reported her name as Julia at the time, shared they first met as teenagers.

In April 2025, Time reported Corenswet and his wife share one child, a 1-year-old daughter whose identity is private, and live in a Philadelphia suburb. “She told me that she was pregnant two days after I found out I was going to screen test for Superman,” Corenswet later told People. “For the first several months of her pregnancy, as is sort of protocol, we weren’t telling anybody. We had these two quite huge secrets that we just had between the two of us. And that was intense.”

Corenswet has previously expressed a desire to keep his private life hidden. “Essentially, I have no interest in being famous, but if I’m going to be working at the level I want to be working at, it sort of comes with the territory,” he told C Magazine. “I’m a very cautious person, so I err on the side of politely nodding and moving on.”

As of July 2025, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Corenswet’s total fortune to be around $4 million.

• My first feeling… is usually relief when I get a part. It’s rarely excitement or pride, just relief because I know what I’m doing next.
• Some teachers would say that I was difficult because I love a good argument. I’m happy to be wrong. I just want to be convinced.
• Nothing in life is permanent, and nothing’s secure. We must live in the glorious “not knowing.”
• I like to grow and improve myself with criticism. I don’t take it personally. Quite the opposite, it’s a learning experience.

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Tyler Piccotti

News and Culture Editor, Biography.com

Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.