‘Krypton’ – Cameron Cuffe Interview on Syfy’s Superman Series

Krypton star Cameron Cuffe
‘Krypton’ star Cameron Cuffe at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con (Photo © 2017 WBEI)

Krypton won’t premiere on Syfy until 2018, however attendees at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con had the opportunity to get the scoop on the series from the show’s star Cameron Cuffe and executive producers Damian Kindler and Cameron Welsh. The series is set two generations before Superman and focuses on Superman’s grandfather and his fight to redeem the House of El’s name. Sitting down for roundtable interviews, Cameron Cuffe talked about playing Seyd-El, his love of comic books, and the world in which the upcoming series takes place.

What’s it been like entering the world of Superman so far?

Cameron Cuffe: “It’s thrilling. Before I was ever an actor I was just a dude who loved movies and comic books, so it’s epic for me to be here.”

Can you talk about your character and where we pick up with him at the start of the series?

Cameron Cuffe: “My character, Seyg-El, is the eventual grandfather of Superman. He is the scion of the once great House of El that was once at the very top of Kryptonian society. Through no fault of his own, it has been stripped of its rank and sent to the very bottom. Essentially, he’s left for dead. So when we meet him, he’s been growing up in a very, very harsh environment where he has to struggle to survive. And so the elements of this legacy that’s out there and this sense of whatever it was that his family stood for, he’s sort of very isolated from, he’s very separate from. What’s real for him, and the stakes for him, is just making sure he gets through another day. That’s where we meet him at the beginning of our story.”

What are some of the key relationships in the story?

Cameron Cuffe: “In Krypton, we have some incredible characters as well as other Houses. One of them is with Lyta Zod. We have a fantastic actor, Georgina Campbell, who’s playing that role. She’s epic in it. So, within Krypton there’s a very precise society and there’s a Guild system. She’s within the military guild, she’s a soldier, and Seyg is a hustler from the streets. And, it should be oil and water and especially in a society that is leaning authoritarian. They have very precise ideas about who you are, what you can do, and what you can stand for. And so for that to happen is an act of rebellion. That is probably the most central relationship for Seyg-El in the show.”

You want to make this your own character but as an actor are you interested in honoring the legacy of Christopher Reeve and everyone who came before you?

Cameron Cuffe: “Our first exposure with this character for a lot of us would have been Christopher Reeve’s magnificent performance, and the credence he gave not only to Superman but to Clark Kent. I love his performance and everything he did as a person, too. But, for me it’s about the new story. This is forging a new path and people aren’t really sure what to expect. That’s one of the most exciting things for us is delivering a new story that is set within this fantastic world that has this great history that we’re so proud to be a part of.”


Did you watch all the movies and read Superman comics?

Cameron Cuffe: “Since I could read. I grew up in the time of the great animated series so I watched Batman, Superman, and Batman Beyond so I knew who these guys were. That was the time when nerd culture was starting to become pop culture. And then I think I was 10 and I was wandering around a book shop. I found one of those big encyclopedias on Batman and I was like, ‘There were three Robins!’ That was the first time I realized how deep these stories were and how interconnected their relationships were. It blew my mind. It is mythology. And since then, the first trade paperback I bought was Geoff Johns’ Teen Titans and that was the thing that made me a convert. I’ve been buying comic books ever since.”

Then how did it feel when you got this role?

Cameron Cuffe: “As an actor, I started out in London. I was doing stage and I aspired to do stage and indie films for the rest of my career, so this was something I never even dreamed of. It was so far off the radar for me and I was content to be a fan. So now that I’m a part of it, it’s just a dream. It doesn’t feel real. I feel like I’m going to wake up any second.”

Will Seyg-El have help clearing his name?

Cameron Cuffe: “Yes. So much of the story is how that ‘S’ comes to mean what it means to us now. And, Seyg isn’t a complete character when he begins, and he needs to fill that role as well. So, yes, that is one of his primary motivators for sure.”

Will there be a romance?

Cameron Cuffe:“Yes, there is the forbidden relationship with Lyta Zod. It’s a star-crossed romance.”

Is the show connected to the DC film universe or is it a stand-alone thing?

Cameron Cuffe: “The thing is DC is so great in letting people grow and develop their own paths. We don’t want to answer that question just yet. We want to forge our path, that’s the most important thing. Tell the best story we can while paying homage to the things that have come up before and the things that are coming up now. I can tell you there will be some things you’d be familiar with that you might not expect to see on Krypton.”

Watch the full Cameron Cuffe Krypton interview:

(Interview by Richard Chavez. Article by Rebecca Murray.)