Gene Hackman Superman Story

During the filming of the movie “Superman“ (1978), in which Hackman played the iconic role of Lex Luthor, there was a memorable moment involving him and his co-star Christopher Reeve, who portrayed the Man of Steel. In one scene, Lex Luthor and Superman have a confrontation in Lex’s underground lair. The scene required Hackman to deliver a line while holding a lit cigar. However, as he began speaking his line, he accidentally inhaled a large amount of smoke from the cigar, causing him to cough uncontrollably. Christopher Reeve, ever the consummate professional and quick on his feet, stayed in character as Superman and improvised a witty response to the unexpected coughing fit. He ad-libbed something along the lines of, “Sorry, Lex. I guess even the Man of Steel’s cigar smoke is too much for you!“ The entire crew burst into laughter, and the humorous moment brought a light-hearted atmosphere to the set. Gene Hackman, known for his sense of humor and ability