Why Annette O'Toole Left Smallville After 6 Seasons As Martha Kent

Updated Aug 28, 2026, 7:15 PM EDT Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History. Born and raised in Ireland, Ben has always had a love for storytelling in all forms of media and operates multiple projects under the name Benjamin Blogs. Ben is a comic book writer and podcast host, in addition to his work as an entertainment journalist. He has worked as both a writer and editor for Screen Rant, Collider, and other media outlets across various departments, including features, news, reviews, and interviews. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Annette O'Toole appeared in the DC Universe more than once, but her most memorable role was as Martha Kent on Smallville where she was featured for six seasons. The character appeared in many of Smallvile's most rewatchable episodes where she delivered one of the most iconic depictions of Superman's terrestrial mother. Starring alongside John Schnieder's Jonathan Kent, the Smallville version of Superman's adoptive mother was complicated and took its time to unveil and establish the intricacies of Martha Kent's character. As opposed to other iterations, such as the DCEU's condensed version of Martha Kent, the exploration of the character and her influence on Superman in Smallville is given time to explain and explore her motivations. In this, Smallville created what might be the best Martha Kent iteration yet seen in the overarching DC Universe. O'Toole was contracted for 6 seasons as Martha Kent, then chose to leave the series. Notably, the actress was not in the original pilot, where Cynthia Ettinger played the role. However, Ettinger herself agreed with the producers that she was not the right fit for the part, and they reached out to O'Toole to replace her. O'Toole was at first reluctant, having appeared in Superman III and believing that she had already done that kind of role. However, after having the opportunity to watch the pilot, she was convinced of the new take on the Superman mythos. The role was an essential part of her career for several years. However, the show began to grow into something else in its later seasons, and there was an appropriate point to leave after the actor's contract ended. Speaking with the Daily Planet, O'Toole noted that the role began to grow stagnant: "As time went on for the series, it was a little frustrating that there wasn’t more for Martha to do." She remarked on how much her role had been linked to the role of Jonathan, and how John Schnieder left after five seasons. Annette O'Toole has herself explained why she left Smallville. The role seemed to have served its purpose, and according to her interview with Daily Planet, that was enough for the actor. “I signed for six years and did that and that was enough... [t]he travel had taken its toll,” she said, remarking on the distance to Vancouver to film. O’Toole was born in Texas, but moved to Los Angeles when she was 13, where she eventually had to choose between working as a dancer or actor. She opted for the latter and has since appeared in many films and series. In addition to the burnout caused by the distance and the work, O'Toole spoke on Michael Rosenbaum's podcast Inside of You about her later episodes on the series. "It wasn't interesting work," she said, reflecting on how her role had been reduced to just checking in on her son. While there was fun to be had and good character stories for O'Toole during the first several years, it seemed that the role had grown stale from the direction of the show, and it made sense for the actor to depart after her contract ended. Following season 6, it made sense that O'Toole left Smallville as a regular. While there may have been room for her in the following season, Kristen Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum left Smallville after season 7 and the show moved primarily to Metropolis to see Clark Kent becoming an adult. These changes made the constant presence of the character's mother feel unnatural. As Clark blossomed into the man he was destined to become, it was important that he was able to grow more independent from his parents. This was explained by Martha moving away from Smallville to Washington, D.C. to become a senator. The actor returned a few times to the series, once with an appearance as the Red Queen of Checkmate that allowed a return from O'Toole's real-life husband, Michael McKean, as Perry White. Following this, her character was able to be involved with opposition to the superhero registration act and was given an emotional end with connections to the spirit of her late husband Jonathan in the series finale.Annette O'Toole's Superman Movie Legacy Explained In 1983, Annette O'Toole played one of the main roles in Superman III as Lana Lang. The character in the film was Clark's childhood friend, and she had a young son from a previous relationship. The film ends with Lana moving to Metropolis and working as Perry White's secretary. This is notable because it seemed as if the film was setting her up to continue in the Christopher Reeve Superman story. However, the character did not appear in the next film, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Notably, the Lana Lang character actually first appeared in Superboy comics rather than Superman, but grew to be an important part of the young Superman mythos. This legacy was contributed to significantly by both Annette O'Toole and Kristin Kreuk, who each worked hard to humanize the complex character. Superman stories have generally been built around the Superman and Lois dynamic, so there is great depth to be found in exploring young love that is fated not to last in a character like Lana Lang. Annette O'Toole has been a major contributor to Superman's legacy, and her role as Martha Kent in Smallville was perhaps her most significant. Her take on the character will surely influence any iteration that follows, including Neva Howell in 2025's Superman. As a sweet and caring mother to Clark, but with deep character motivations and complexities, Annette O'Toole's contribution to the series was immeasurable. Viewers were blessed to have her in the role for as long as she was, and Smallville was a much better series as a result. Since Smallville ended in 2011, O'Toole initially put a major focus on performing on stage. She partook in a number of regional productions and theater shows, before slowly returning to prominent and recurring screen roles. She also took time to write music alongside her husband, Michael McKean, with the pair earning an Academy Award nomination for the song "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" for the film A Mighty Wind. Since then, O'Toole has played notable roles including Edna Croft in the science-fiction thriller miniseries, 11.22.63, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, and a recurring role in Netflix and Marvel's TV series, The Punisher, where she played Eliza Schultz. However, since 2019, O'Toole has taken up a permanent role in the series, Virgin River, where she plays Hope McCrea. This series is still airing today, having been renewed for season 8, and O'Toole has settled into her role as the fierce and protective mayor exceptionally well. Release Date 2001 - 2011-00-00 Network The WB, The CW Showrunner Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Brian Peterson, Kelly Souders, Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer Directors Mike Rohl, Jeannot Szwarc, Glen Winter, Terrence O'Hara, Whitney Ransick, Mairzee Almas, Paul Shapiro, Rick Rosenthal, David Carson, James L. Conway, Chris Long, Michael Katleman, Morgan Beggs, Allison Mack, David Barrett, Marita Grabiak, Michael W. Watkins, Philip Sgriccia, Rick Wallace, Thomas J. Wright, Todd Slavkin, Brad Turner, Charles Beeson, Craig Zisk Writers Steven S. DeKnight, Holly Henderson, Don Whitehead, Caroline Dries, Mark Verheiden, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Philip Levens, Jordan Hawley, Kenneth Biller, Michael Green, Drew Z. Greenberg, Geoff Johns, John Chisholm, Drew Landis, Julia Swift, Doris Egan, Tracy Bellomo, Garrett Lerner, Greg Walker, Russel Friend, Shintaro Shimosawa, Tim Schlattmann, todd helbing Smallville chronicles the journey of a young Clark Kent during his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as iconic hero Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas. Upcoming DC Movie Releases Release Date October 4, 2024 Release Date July 11, 2025 Release Date June 26, 2026 Release Date February 18, 2028