Why Regé-Jean Page's alleged rejection for Krypton's Superman grandfather role is so infuriating

The Mary Sue

Former DC executive Geoff Johns reported claim that Superman could not have a Black grandfather "is ridiculous for many reasons, both comic book-related and then straight up genetic," says Princess Weekes. "Krypton’s backstory as a planet has been tweaked over time. Still, in the modern age, and in the version Hanry Cavill-starring Man of Steel used, Kryptonians reproduced using cloning and genetic barriers to create an ideal child, as part of their society’s hedonistic downfall. What made Kal-El special in this incarnation is that he was born “naturally.” So, if we look at how genetics work on Krypton, the whole thing was very eugenics-like. As for casting a Black biracial actor like Regé-Jean Page, he is already biracial. In the show, Krypton, Seg and his parents are stripped of their privileges and banished to the lower class slums after his own grandfather is accused of treason. Seg could have easily been a biracial kid, and if his future wife was a 'white' Kryptonian, then they could have had a son that looked like Jor-El and eventually a Henry Cavill-type Kal-El. Do you want proof? Well, we got Alexandre Dumas, Rebecca Hall, Troian Bellisario, Alexander Pushkin, and young Archie Mountbatten, to name just a few people of mixed-raced Black ancestry who present as white. With this chin, swagger, smile, and ability to whisper act, I think Regé-Jean Page seems like a wonderful person to play someone who is the grandfather of Superman. I am just frustrated with this more than anything else, because it shows just how the 'best person for the role' idea we hear about so much doesn’t matter."