Titans star Joshua Orpin explained why he decided to make a massive change to his appearance as Superboy.
In Titans, Superboy aka Conner Kent is the clone of Lex Luthor and Superman. This was further established in Season 4 during the first meeting between Lex and Connor.
However, after Lex is killed in Season 4, Connor shaves his head with his heat vision, imitating his surrogate father and exhibiting tendencies more in line with his heritage. Later on, Connor ultimately becomes the head of LexCorp.
Titans Star Reacts to Superboy’s Major Season 4 Change
In an interview with Multiverse of Color, Titans actor Joshua Orpin explained why he shaved his head for his return as Superboy in Season 4.
When the outlet asked when exactly the Titans' cast and crew told him about shaving his head, Orpin revealed that it was showrunner Greg Walker who broke the news to him while shooting a scene with Tim Drake actor Jay Lycurgo:
Will G.: "As you bring it up, when did they break it to you that they wanted you to shave your head?"
Joshua: "Well, it’s funny. We were on set and we were shooting the scene where Tim (Drake) and Conner are training in VR. Greg Walker, our showrunner, was on set that day and came up to me between takes and said ‘Hey, how would you feel about shaving your head?’. And I thought, ‘that gives me a nice hint at what’s to come!’"
While Orpin confirmed that the crew initially asked if he'd be interested in shaving his head, the Titans star noted that he chose to do it willingly so that he wouldn’t have to be in makeup for a long time:
"So they gave me the option and asked if I’d be willing to do it, which was very nice of them. It was either I shave my head or I wear a bald cap, and the bald cap was going to take three hours in makeup each day so I opted for the sleep-in."
Responding to a fan question from Twitter during the interview if whether or not a costume for Superboy was discussed for the show, Orpin explained the character's super-suit and how it changed in the course of four seasons:
"As you know, we had a costume, and the biggest shift was between seasons 2 and 3. From 3 to 4, we just kept the same look. In season 2, it was an improvised costume that Conner made up of bits and pieces along the journey – it’s a t-shirt that he stole, some pants that he stole, and some boots that he stole. So we went from that in season 2 to season 3, where it’s essentially the same overall look but a more deliberate and functional version of that."
The Titans actor then said that the team "never really got to anything concrete" about super-suits, teasing that such a reveal would've happened if Season 5 was greenlit:
"I’m sure discussions happened, but in terms of super-suits, we never really got to anything concrete. It was more of an idea that was floating around. It would have been a season 5 thing if it were to happen at all."
Still, Orpin mentioned that he thinks that Connor's suit was "his body" and his "physique:"
"For me, the suit was his body. It was the physique, so that was what I was working on throughout my time on the show. To boil it down, the suits look amazing. They’re incredible works of art. It would have been an honor and a privilege to wear one, but they don’t seem very comfortable and the sweat doesn’t appeal to me! I was happy enough just to hit the gym and wear a T-shirt."
Titans Season 4 Completely Changed Superboy (And It's Perfect)
Joshua Orpin's comments about shaving his head for his Superboy role in Titans Season 4 further exemplified his dedication to portraying the character while also being practical about certain behind-the-scenes changes.
Given that the Superboy role in Titans is challenging, especially during action-packed scenes, it would've been difficult for Orpin to adjust while having make-up as a bald Connor Kent in Season 4.
Superboy's evolution in Titans Season 4 was game-changing for the character and the team, considering that Orpin embraced the DC hero's evil turn.
Throughout the show's final run, it was clear that the actor enjoyed Connor's heel turn as evidenced by his incredible portrayal. Despite the villainous change, Titans' massive finale ultimately showcased the character's redemption, leading to a bright off-screen future.
Titans Season 4 is streaming on Max.
