List of Smallville characters

Smallville is an American television series developed by writer/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and was initially broadcast by The WB. After its fifth season, The WB and UPN merged to form The CW, which was the second broadcaster for the show in the United States. The series features a regular cast of characters, which began with eight main characters in its first season. Since then, characters from that first season have left the series, with new main characters having been both written in and out of the series. In addition, Smallville features guest stars each week, as well as recurring guests that take part in mini story arcs that span a portion of a season. Occasionally, the recurring guest storylines will span multiple seasons.

The plot follows a young Clark Kent, in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, as he journeys toward becoming Superman. Additionally, the series chronicles Lex Luthor's path to the dark side, and his metamorphosis from Clark's best friend to greatest enemy. Smallville depicts the relationship between Clark and his first love interest, Lana Lang, as well as his relationship with Lois Lane, the woman he ultimately marries in the comic books. The series also features recurring appearances from other DC Universe characters, such as Arthur Curry and John Jones.

With five months devoted to casting for the pilot, Gough and Miller cast ultimately hired eight actors to take on the role of series regulars for the first season. Since then, only two characters from the first season have remained regulars through to the tenth season, with eight new actors taking on lead roles from seasons two through nine. Four of those new actors began as recurring guests in their first seasonal appearance, but were given top billing the following season. As the series progresses, recurring guests appear at various times to help move the overall storyline of the show or just provide a side-story arc for one of the main characters, such as Brainiac or Adam Knight. Other recurring guests appear as background characters, showing up for only a few scenes, which includes characters like Sheriff Nancy Adams or Dr. Virgil Swann.

According to co-creator Miles Millar, "unlike most shows, which pick up in January and you've got four weeks [...] to do your casting", Millar and co-creator Al Gough had five months to cast their lead characters. In October 2000, the two producers began their search for the three lead roles, and had casting directors in ten different cities. The following is a list of all the characters that are, or at one time were, a main character in the show. During its first season, Smallville had eight regular characters. Six characters from the original cast left the show, with eight new characters coming in over the course of nine seasons.

The following is a list of series regulars who appear in one or more of the series' ten seasons. The characters are listed in the order they were first credited in the series.

Portrayed by Tom Welling, Clark Kent is an alien being from a planet called Krypton with superhuman abilities, which he uses to help others in danger. Clark is adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent in the series pilot, when he crash lands to Earth as a three-year-old child. Twelve years later, he tries to find his place in life after being told he is an alien by his adoptive father. For most of the series, Clark spends his time running from his Kryptonian heritage, going as far as leaving Smallville, abandoning a quest his biological father Jor-El sends him on in search of three Kryptonian stones of knowledge, continuing his training at the Fortress of Solitude, and unwittingly unleashing a Kryptonian criminal from the Phantom Zone when he refuses to kill Lex.

Portrayed by Kristin Kreuk, Lana Lang is one of Clark Kent's friends and on-again-off-again girlfriend. In the first season, Lana and Clark's friendship is just beginning, as she is dating Whitney Fordman during this time. After Whitney leaves for the Marines in the season one finale, Lana and Clark slowly begin to try to start a romantic relationship. In season seven, Lana leaves Smallville, leaving behind a DVD explaining to Clark that, even though she loves him, the only way for him to help the world to the best of his ability would be if she left him and Smallville for good.

Michael Rosenbaum portrays Lex Luthor, the son of billionaire Lionel Luthor, who is sent to Smallville to run the local fertilizer plant. After Clark saves his life in the pilot episode, the two become quick friends. Over the course of seven seasons—beginning on the day Clark rescues him from drowning—Lex tries to uncover the secrets that Clark keeps. Lex's curiosity eventually leads to a blowout between him and Clark in the season three finale. Lex's investigations ultimately lead to him discovering the truth about Clark's alien heritage in the season seven finale.