INTERVIEW: Phil Morris Wanted To Go Full Martian For 'Smallville'

Phil Morris is no stranger to sci-fi and genre fans. Throughout his career, the versatile actor has appeared in Knight Rider, Babylon 5, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and numerous versions of Star Trek (TOS, The Search for Spock, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine).

One of his more recent popular recurring roles was on The CW's Smallville, playing Metropolis Homicide Detective John Jones. DC Comics fans knew him better as the human alter ego of the alien superhero J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter.

Keeping to the Smallville tradition, Morris' earthly John Jones wardrobe was often reminiscent of the Martian Manhunter costume. Throughout the show's run, the writers were always keen on including clever nods to the comic book source material, some being more overt than others.

Morris appeared as a human on the show and never had the opportunity to go on camera in the character's full true alien form, which would have required extensive prosthetics and hours in the make-up chair.

While taking questions from the online press at the Justice League: Doom NYC premiere, I asked the actor if at any point he was approached by the show's producers to play a version that was visually closer to the character's comic book origins.

"I had one flash, in the two-parter ['Absolute Justice']. I get knocked into this canister and they flash to it," he revealed about a quick CGI glimpse of J'onzz in his alien form.

"I told them I would pull a Michael Dorn." he admitted in reference to the Star Trek: The Next Generation actor who endured hours of make-up each day to play the Klingon Worf.  "I’d do it," he affirmed. "If I could buy F-18’s like Michael does with his money," he added with a laugh.

"Just to legitimize the character into bringing him to the place that most of the fans know him as, I would have done it, and happy to do it. I've done a lot of Star Treks, I've been Jem'Hardar and Klingons, I don't mind that. I meditate through that stuff," Morris said.

"It would have been a wonderful place to go, but not my show."

He was then asked about possibly revisiting the character on the small screen, or having an interest in any of the upcoming television shows based on comics books. Morris revealed an anthology concept he would have been eager to pursue if given the opportunity.

"I would have loved to have seen J'onn J'onzz anthologized. I really thought we could have done J'onn J'onzz as a Rod Serling of the DC Universe, so we have him bookend the show. Every so often the episode would focus on J'onn, but then we bring out these characters in the DC Universe that aren’t in the movies and aren’t in the films right now," he said.

"You can do the same kind of due diligence they did with Smallville, but you feature them for a three episode arc. J'onn opens it like Rod Serling, then you see the thing, and then J'onn bookends it. That would have been awesome."


Morris can be heard as the voice of the villainous immortal Vandal Savage in Justice League: Doom, which hits Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD on February 28th. He joins an all star voice cast that includes Tim Daly (Superman), Kevin Conroy (Batman), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern), Michael Rosenbaum (Flash), and Olivia d'Abo (Star Sapphire).

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INTERVIEW: Phil Morris Talks The Future of Jackie Chiles

At the NYC Premiere of Justice League: Doom, Phil Morris, who voices the villainous immortal Vandal Savage in the animated feature, walked the red carpet, talked to the press, and participated in a post screening fan Q&A with fellow cast member Kevin Conroy (Batman) and dialogue director Andrea Romano.

Nerdy Rotten Scoundrel will get to reporting all things Justice League: Doom soon enough when the February 28th release date gets closer. While fielding questions from online reporters at the Paley Center, I had the opportunity to ask Morris a few things not directly to do with Doom.

The versatile character actor was open to talking about the many aspects of his career. From his numerous appearances in the various incarnations of Star Trek, to his recurring role as J’onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter in Smallville, and of course perhaps his most famous character, the outrageous fast talking attorney Jackie Chiles from Seinfeld.

Morris smiled and didn’t miss a beat when asked who Jackie might be partial to representing from the Justice League feature, the heroes or the villains.

Phil Morris at the Paley Center for Justice League: Doom

“He has to represent  the villains. They never win. They need help,” he said.

Then going right into the character’s unmistakable cadence and lower voice, “And Jackie could help them,” he asserted.

Elaborating further, “A lawyer always wants somebody who is in trouble because it always billable hours,” he laughed. Needless to say, the Legion of Doom would need a lot of legal help.

Morris reprised the memorable role years after Seinfeld finished its run on NBC by appearing in several Funny or Die skits in 2010.

I followed up by asking him if we have seen the last of Childs, or will fans get the opportunity to see the lawyer in action again via future online videos.

“There could be,“ he revealed. “I wrote and produced all those."

"I was very fortunate because they ran them by Jerry (Seinfeld) and Larry (David). They didn’t change a word of dialogue and said ‘You go with yourself young man and God love ya.’”

“I was really honored that they did because they are very protective of their legacy. For them to allow me to do that was just incredible, so I hope so,“ he said in hopes of revisiting the character again.