Marlon Brando (b. April 3, 1924 – d.July 1, 2004) was an American actor, often revered as one of the greatest actors of all time, who portrayed Jor-El in Superman: The Movie and the director's cut of Superman II.
- Pictured: Brando as Jor-El from Superman: The Movie
Professional History
Marlon Brando was a multi-award-winning, widely celebrated character actor, often considered one of the greatest and most influential actors of all time, starring in some of the most revered films ever made. Some of his most notable performances include Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, Vito Corleone in The Godfather, and Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. He was a dedicated method actor, and was notoriously difficult to work with.
In 1977, principal photography began for the simultaneously shot films Superman: The Movie and Superman II, under direction of Richard Donner, in which Brando portrayed Jor-El. When the first film was released, Brando's performance was widely celebrated, but his excessive salary demands for the use of his likeness in Superman II resulted in producers cutting him out of the theatrical version of the film.
After Brando's passing in 2004, Warner Bros. acquired the rights to use Brando's likeness to use in the 2006 film Superman Returns, as well as Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, Donner's direct-to-DVD alternate edit of Superman II meant to recreate his original vision for the film after he was fired during production. Similar to his performance in the first film, Brando's performance as Jor-El in both Superman Returns and the Donner Cut was well received, often regarded as a crucial part of Donner's edit that shouldn't have been cut for the theatrical release.
Work History
Acting Credits
| Superman | December 10, 1978 | Jor-El |
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| Superman Returns | June 28, 2006 | Jor-El |
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| Superman II: The Donner Cut | 2006 | Jor-El |
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