High school can be difficult no matter what, but imagine if there were superpowers involved mixed into everyday life; sounds a little scary, right?

Before he was a man of power, Clark Kent was just a typical teenage boy next door, and the long-running TV series Smallville, follows teenage Kent as he evolves into Superman! Smallville not only provided its fans with a gripping-yet-relatable tale of growing up and navigating through teen-hood but also provided comic book fans with a unique spin on a classic story. Even those TV fanatics who don't consider themselves comic book aficionados could stick around for one of our favorite throwback teen heartthrob dudes from the early '00s, Tom Welling. Smallville had a bit of everything for everyone!

Even though it's easy to be swept in the supernatural elements of Smallville, not every element about the show was otherworldly! Read on for more.

20 Michael Rosenbaum Prevented Disaster

When the worlds of sci-fi and real-life collide, it's understandable the cast of Smallville would need to take stock of reality versus fiction! The cast had to be prepared to use their fight or flight instincts regarding special effects, especially when those special effects collided with real life!

According to GeekTyrant, Michael Rosenbaum had to be on guard with heavy equipment, despite being hurt IRL.

19 Many Cast Members Were Nervous About Their Fate

Even actors who have a lengthy resume to their name and have spent a considerable amount of time on a film set, the extremely real question of "Will I be a good enough actor to bring this character to life?" can linger in the air, no matter your experience level!

Much like Clark Kent's evolution into Superman, the Smallville cast had to trust their instincts!

18 Tom Welling Made A Crucial Plot Decision

Fans can tell when their favorite actors develop a deep relationship and understanding with the characters they are bringing to life. After all, a powerful connection from actor to character can be essential to a character's legacy!

Tom Welling was one of those actors who made sure he understood Clark on a personal level. Welling was present during discussions concerning his character's complete evolution!

17 Tom Welling Wasn't The First Choice For Clark Kent

For many, memorable characters do not reach their iconic status without the help of their counterparts who bring them to life! Much like the evolution of Clark Kent's character development, the concept of Clark Kent went through a few revisions before Tom Welling dove into the role!

You may know Jensen Ackles from Supernatural, but he was once on hand to play Clark Kent.

16 There's A Reason Why The Cast Is So Quiet

Participating in interviews is such an integral part of an actor's lifestyle, they may not think twice about them; the Smallville cast sure did after an interview went awry!

Tom Welling spilled the behind-the-scenes tea on an episode of Michael Rosenbaum's podcast, according to Ibtimes. He revealed the cast "caught the guy trying to record our conversation without telling [them]." How uncool is that?

15 The Cast Had To Protect Tom For This Reason

Clark Kent finds himself in countless "pedal to the metal" action situations, and as it turns out, Tom Welling got a taste of the adrenaline rush of Clark's shenanigans, his fellow castmates had to reel him in!

Long days on set began to take a toll on Tom, understandably, because the actor was in "every scene" according to the IbTimes, but the situation was quickly eased!

14 A Future TV Heartthrob Directed An Episode

If you catch yourself asking "could it be him?" The answer is "Yes, that's really him!"

If you recognize Justin Hartley from This Is Us, the actor currently helping TV fanatics get in touch with their feelings through his role as Kevin Pearson, the actor starred in and directed an episode of Smallville, years before he had all of us reaching for tissues!

13 Two Critical Cast Members Weren't Happy With The Show

While it's important to listen to initial reactions, sometimes our first impressions turn out to not always be accurate!

Smallville was on track to be an incredibly different TV show based off of Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum's first opinions of the show. Both actors admitted they weren't keen on Smallville; Welling admitted he thought "[The show] sounds horrible."

We're glad Tom changed his mind!

12 The Final Season's Status Was Finicky

When there's a will, there's a way! Smallville's ten season running time is still impressive by today's standards where TV fanatics have endless options to choose from, but the show continued to set impressive standards and please fans after the so-called "final" season wrapped production!

According to Fame10, Smallville's final season was delivered to satisfied fans in the form of a comic book.

11 Tom Welling Had To Take A Breath

After a show has been on the air for ages, it can be refreshing for fans to hear the actors never lost touch with the characters they worked so hard to bring to life!

For Tom Welling, his performance as Clark Kent wasn't just professional, it was personal. Welling told BuzzFeed, "There was a lot of growing up I needed to do on that show."

10 Someone Didn't Know A Thing About Superman

Not only did Tom Welling undergo personal growth on the set of Smallville, the actor learned a lot about his craft and role, as he learned a thing or two about the powerhouse who inspired Clark Kent.

When Welling was cast as Clark Kent, he virtually went into his role without background material! According to Diply, "His limited knowledge helped his portrayal."

9 Tom Wasn't Fanatical About Fans

For TV shows with a cult following like Smallville, the legions of passionate fans only grow with time!

The way in which actors connect with their fans continues to change and adapt as well. Tom revealed to Michael Rosenbaum during his appearance on Rosenbaum's podcast, "In the past, I've never been open to [fan conventions], but I'm starting to be open to it."

8 The Studio Wasn't Hesitant To Replace Cast Members

Comfort is often never the key to surviving as an actor in Hollywood. Sometimes, casting decisions occur which are often out of actors' hands, such was the case of Cynthia Ettinger, the actress who was initially signed on to play Clark's mother, as per an article in Journalistate.

According to Ettinger, she was told she was "too young" to convincingly play the role of Martha.

7 So Many Stars Appeared On The Show

Blink twice and you'll miss them, or go ahead and take a second glance! Before they landed signature roles we know and love them for today, a slew of actors and actresses made early appearances on Smallville.

You may recognize some famous faces from Buzzfeed's collection of famous actors and actresses who once hung out with Clark and company!

6 Tom Had Many Opinions About Clark

Although Tom Welling has always had high praise of his alter-ego Clark Kent, and he enjoyed his time on the set of Smallville, he wasn't always on board with every decision his character made. Hey, it was a growth process!

Welling once had some choice words for Clark. According to Diply, Tom would "wander around set muttering, Clark is an idiot! He's such an idiot."

5 The Show Inspired Lots Of Lawsuits

No matter how beloved a show is, reality is always present! Not every aspect of behind-the-scenes happenings on the set of Smallville was easy for the actors.

The show was involved in a lawsuit brought on by the creators and directed toward Warner Brothers. The Hollywood Reporter detailed all of the intricate aspects of the lawsuit and its long shelf life.

4 Fans Weren't Happy

It's impossible for every aspect of a show to please an entire fandom, and the Smallville fandom was no exception!

There were elements of the show the fans were displeased with. According to IGN, fans of the Superman comic book series found plenty of inconsistencies between the show and the story from which it originated. Luckily, fans were also quick to detail what they loved!

3 Product Placement Was Never Small

In a move which will delight TV fans and those who believe themselves to be sleuths for detail, there were some instances in Smallville where the use of product placement wasn't so sly!

According to ScreenRant, branded gum made an obvious appearance in the show. In Smallville's case, it was Stride gum!

Fans could surely chew over this tiny detail!

2 There Were Big 'Gilmore' Connections

"Stars Hollow" may not be as far away from the Smallville world as we thought!

It's a not-so-hidden-fact that Jensen Ackles, who later starred on Supernatural with Gilmore Girls alum, Jared Padelecki, was once on board for Clark Kent. Perhaps Jared could ask his friend Milo Ventimiglia about his Smallville memories!

Ventimiglia was considered to play the same role Ackles was once in the running for.

1 Alison Mack's Career Was Cancelled

Unfortunately, not every actor who has on-screen success always have the same amount of success in their personal lives.

In a sadder turn of events, Smallville alumna Allison Mack is no longer making headlines for her performance of Chloe on Smallville. Life after a long period of recognizable fame isn't always easy, and sadly, Mack may have figured this harsh reality out.

References: Geek Tyrant, TV Line, Entertainment Weekly, Ranker, IBTimes,  E!, Fame10, Journalistate, Hollywood Reporter, IGN, Cheat Sheet, Huffington Post