‘Superman & Lois’: Emmanuelle Chriqui Breaks Down Lana’s Heartbreaking Decision

While the titular characters on The CW’s Superman & Lois have been dealing with some seriously high stakes thanks to the introduction of Bizarro, a strange, backwards Superman, and the potential end of the world, Lana Lang Cortez (Emmanuelle Chriqui) has been dealing with the end of her own world. Specifically, the repercussions of discovering her husband Kyle’s (Erik Valdez) affair in the previous episode.

“It’s pretty volatile,” Chriqui told Decider about the relationship between Lana and Kyle. “I think they were in a really good place and I don’t think it’s altogether surprising that something like this happened. Not necessarily that he would have an affair, but it was another thing to work through.”

In this week’s episode, titled “Tried and True” — and spoilers past this point — Lana makes a number of big decisions about the Kyle situation. After talked with Clark (Tyler Hoechlin), and then the woman Kyle had an affair with, she confronts her husband and asks him to move out. The key part of the decision? He broke off the affair after their daughter got into an accident — but Lana realizes that without that, the marriage might not have been strong enough to save.

That’s not the only big moment for Chriqui in the episode, though. In the cold open we get to see Bizarro world, as that universe’s Superman (also Hoechlin) fights his way through the Department of Defense, ultimately coming face to face with none other than Lana Lang in a Superwoman suit.

To find out more about Superwoman’s future, Lana’s future, and much more, read on.

Before we get into the bulk of the episode, let’s talk about the first scene with you in the Superwoman suit. What was it like hopping into that?

Emmanuelle Chriqui: I mean it’s so much fun. It was so great, I remember before it even happened that I had a conversation with our creator of the show, Todd Helbing. He’s like, “So, how do you feel about being in a supersuit?” and I was like, “If not now, when?” [laughs] If not on this show, when exactly? It’s just so fun to be able to go and do that and be like yet another version of myself.

What was it like to do the stunt work with Tyler Hoechlin?

Oh my god, it was so fun. It was such a thrill ride… We have the best stunt coordinator and fight trainers. You go on a journey of learning how to throw punches… And what is very specific to Superman… Superman has a lot of punches. It’s not like a bunch of kicks and karate. It’s not that at all. So, it’s just a cool journey to do and it feels really badass when you’re doing it.

There’s definitely a history of Lana as Superwoman in the comics… Will we be seeing you suit-up again on the show, either on Bizarro world or in the regular universe?

Yes, definitely in Bizzaro world. But, we’re going to see. As far as in the regular world, I have no idea. That has not been mentioned to me. Yet. [laughs]

Broadly speaking, what’s it been like taking Lana and her family from this emotional rollercoaster this season?

It’s been awesome and challenging. When I first took this job, I didn’t know what it was going to be because it’s not obvious to do a superhero job. You know, thinking I’m going to have so much to chew on, you can only hope for that. So, it is been so gratifying on every level, just as an actor, to get to tell that story.

Leading into this episode, it’s particularly heartbreaking because Kyle seemed to really turn a corner at the end of Season 1. Do you think Lana believed in Kyle the entire time, or was there a part of her where she always knew that other shoe was going to drop?

Both. Do you know what I mean? She believed that they were in a really good place and they also have been really transparent about what they’ve been living through, that at times hadn’t been easy. And I don’t think Lana was ever thought like, “Ooh, that’s it, this is fixed for life. We’re now going to be riding in the sunset.” That’s not the nature of who Kyle is nor is what the relationship. It’s pretty volatile, so that’s why I say both. I think they were in a really good place and I don’t think it’s altogether surprising that something like this happened. Not necessarily that he would have an affair, but it was another thing to work through.

It’s a small thing, but I loved the choice in the kitchen scene where Lana is holding it together for her family, and it isn’t until she faces away from the camera and turns to the sink that she crumbles, her back to the camera. What was it like filming that moment?

It was really draining. Our director, Amy Jo Johnson, directed that and she was really adamant: that’s what she wanted. Just that real feeling of what you said, holding it together and then just not wanting to crumble in front of the kids. And then, that Sarah would come and swoop her up from the behind was also really powerful. I think there was a lot of acceptance from Sarah… She’s got her work cut out for her too, to watch her mother at that stage.

In the diner Lana and Clark have a conversation where she asks: what would he do in this situation? A lesser show would have used this as a chance to reignite that spark between the two, maybe send them on an affair of their own. Instead they just have an open, honest conversation as friends. What do you think, at this point of the show, works so well with the Lana and Clark friendship?

I think because these boundaries are so respected. I think that people can trust that they genuinely are there for each other, and I think that just as a breath of fresh air, nobody looks at those two and just waits for the shoe to drop. That is refreshing because, yeah, we know they were sweethearts once upon a time, but they’re different people now. They have families, and they symbolize that beautiful thing of having history with somebody. Someone you know for so long and since you were so young and known so many different versions of you is so comforting, and not that common. They don’t have ten of those people. They have one or two of those in their life. That is what Clark and Lana are to each other. So I do think that whether consciously or not, that’s what people love about seeing Lana and Clark together.

Another smart choice, I thought, was the scene where Lana confronts Tonya at the bar, and it doesn’t become a drag out fight… It’s a conversation. What was it like playing the scene between the two of you?

That was really cool. I think it was really cool choice, too. I thought it was incredibly bold and courageous of Lana to go and confront her. Honestly, if I put myself in those shoes, I don’t know if I would do that. I think I would be too freaked out, or I don’t know, it would have to be some worse case scenario in my head. It was really cool that she was composed, I like that she wasn’t mean, but she was cool. She needed an answer to that one question and she got it, which gave her clarity. That’s why that scene works, because Lana just wanted clarity.

And then ultimately, Lana asks Kyle to move out of the house. Do you agree with her decision, and the way she arrived at it?

Yeah, I do. I mean the way she arrived at it is arguable. I think everybody has different things. I think for her, she just didn’t believe that he would’ve ended that relationship if it wasn’t for the family. That’s where she trips up, and so when she confronts Tonya and says, “Did you love him?” She says yes, and okay, that’s one thing. When did he call off this off? That was right after Sarah’s big traumatic event. That’s what Lana needs to know, and that’s always been her incline. Right? So when she goes to the firehouse, she says, “I just don’t know if you would’ve done this for our marriage.” I think that’s a really true statement. She’s just asking for time and space. That’s really what it is. Time and space, and while I take my time and space – I need you to not be there.

Separation is hard on the parents, but it’s also hard on the kids… How is this going to change her relationship with Sarah and Sophie?

I think this will bring them closer. Sarah is maturing and becoming a woman before our eyes. Yes, they are mother and daughter, but they also have this real friendship forming, and this real bond. Sarah is becoming a little bit of a confidant to Lana, and you really see this friendship, other than being mother and daughter. It’s really a beautiful thing. I think that’s what a mother hopes to have with their daughter. Yes, I need to be maternal and this is my daughter, but I also really love and respect this person and am friends with her.

This has been in the background for the past few episodes, but Lana is running for mayor against an opponent who loves digging up dirt on her. How much more of an uphill battle is this separation going to make the mayoral race?

It presents its challenges. [Laughs] You guessed it right, but it’s nothing we can’t overcome. It brings some really interesting story points, too.

Last season, the Cushings, now Cortezes, were very involved in the main Superman/Lois storyline. This season, you all are sort of off on your own dramatic arc. Are we ultimately going to see these two storylines crash together?

You’re going to see them come together, for sure. We all start seeing more of each other more in the later part of the season.

Before I let you go, what can you tease about Lana’s journey for the rest of the season?

We see her main aspirations. We see her trying to find her power and who she is on her own, co-parenting and all of those things. It’s definitely more that, and there’s more Bizarro world that comes into play — which is just so on another level. [Laughs]

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Superman & Lois airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW

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