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Erica Durance
From Turkeys to "Smallville"
By Kat (with special thanks to Arshi)
Erica Durance
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Playing an iconic character who has been in forefront of American comic book culture for eight decades must be daunting but "Smallville's" Erica Durance has tackled her role with a flair that has won her a large fanbase. On the show she plays a young and feisty Lois Lane, the future romantic interest of 21-year-old Clark Kent, AKA Superman. But “Smallville” is far from Erica’s first acting job. The twenty-nine-year-old Canadian started her acting career upon graduating from High School.
Erica Durance was born in Calgary, Alberta and raised in Three Hills, Alberta. “I actually grew up on a Turkey Farm,” Erica explained to Cult times, “I’m from a very small town in Alberta. Less then four thousand people live there. It’s actually smaller then Smallville so believe me, I know about small towns!”
An older headshot sees Erica with jet black hair
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Entertainment was a passion from a young age. Erica had musical theatre and voice training throughout her childhood. After she graduated from high school, she moved to Vancouver, British Columbia to start her acting career. "I wanted to get my feet wet in a smaller area than Los Angeles when I gave it a try", Erica has said. In Vancouver, Erica first continued studying acting, slowly moving on to background work, then commercials, later doing guest-starring roles, landing more substantial roles each time. She was first discovered by well known agent/talent scout Jeff Palffy who then worked with Ford Models.
Erica and Tom Welling in Smallville
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As we’ve mentioned Erica is best known for her reprising role of Lois Lane on the CW television series, “Smallville”. She first joined the show in 2004 and became a regular cast member for the fifth, sixth and seventh seasons. Erica recently told BuddyTV that winning the role was like the lottery. “There was a rumor that this character was going to be coming on to Smallville, so my manager was telling me you need to get ready, we're gonna suss it out and we're going to find an audition. My husband is also my acting coach, so we got all trained up for it. I really didn't think much about it, because at this point I was not very enamored with the industry and the way things went, and I said okay, well I'll go in. I was a little bit begrudging about it because by that time I was ready for a break. True to form, that ended up being the one that I got. It just has been a real whirlwind since then. It started out as a four episode arc, and then they're like there's going to be a couple more, and a couple more, and so far it's been 13 every season, and now this is my fourth year in.”
A smallville season five promo
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“Smallville” is a television series about a young Clark Kent as he accepts his superpowers and his destiny of becoming Superman. Lois Lane is the fictional girlfriend of (the adult) Superman in the comic books and other media and is also a very nosy reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropalis. She has been portrayed by numerous actresses over the years (including “Desperate Housewive’s” Teri Hatcher) as being a spunky, romantice, independent, street-smart, and tough woman. “Everyone has their specific idea of who Lois Lane is for them, and you have your overall blueprint, but then you have to try to make it your own. That's the only way to try to stay truthful to what you're doing,“ Erica remarked about the pressure of playing such an iconic character (comic book fans were first introduced to the character in 1938).
Erica with Tia Mowry and Jared Padalecki at the CW Network Affiliate party
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On “Smallville” Lois is a sassy former military brat and college drop out. In the most recent season she’s started working as a junior reporter for The Daily Planet and has a ongoing love/hate relationship with Clark Kent who is her cousins best friend. “Lois’ relationship with Clark is very interesting because they’re two totally different people. They have strong personalities and come from vastly diverse upbringings. We’re having lots of fun with them. There’s a bit of a banter that goes on, a quick and witty repartee between the two. I’m not sure where they’re headed in the future, but there’s isn’t a going to be a romance right of the bat. That isn’t realistic. But it’s fun when they banter and bash heads a bit because they’re coming at the same things from different angles.”
What does Erica think of her character? “Lois is fairly… I hate to say gruff. Her personality comes from a point of strength. Yet, on the other hand, she has her vulnerabilities; you just don’t see them much. They come out here and there, when she feels safe, but for the most part she’s tough and sassy, which is fun. Lois also has a great sense of humor and is very quick and witty. And she’s aggressive. She’s a joy to play, because I look for the different places to put in that vulnerability, aggressiveness and humor.”
Erica at the CW Network's Upfronts
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Erica admits to being a bit of a tomboy when she was young. “My nickname was Ed, because of my initials and also as a way to express that I was one of the guys. I was the tomboy out there playing basketball. The guys would go, “Okay, Erica, these are the girls we want you to set us up with.” I didn’t get myself dates – I got my girlfriends dates.” She insists she couldn’t be further from the party scene inhabited by Paris, Lindsay and Britney, “I live in Vancouver, and I’m not a club gal. Not that I don’t get hammered on occasion, but Paris Hilton is an heiress to a fortune and I’m the daughter of a truck driver and a librarian. I had a lovely family but growing up was more like, “Get your butt in the barn and muck it out!”
Erica in the Butterfly
Effect 2
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Besides “Smallville”, Erica has also guest-starred in “The Chris Isaak Show”, “Tru Calling”, “Andromeda”, “Stargate SG-1”, and “The Collecter”. She starred in the TV movie Stranded. In 2007 she starred in the Lifetime channel TV Movie I me wed about a woman who plans to marry herself in a wedding ceremony to prove a point to her friends and the world that she doesn't need a husband to be happy. She was also in the DVD film, The Butterfly Effect 2 in which she plays Julie Miller, the main female character. The Butterfly Effect 2 is a sequel to the 2003 cult movie in which a person can change the past via his memories.
The poster for I me wed
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While Erica’s budding romantic relationship with Clark Kent keeps fans enthralled on Smallville, (the two even won out a position in our Valentines feature Top 10 TV Ships article, outdoing the shows long running ship - Clark and Lana.) her true chemistry is with her husband of three years; David Palffy. David, who is also an actor, is Erica’s second husband; she first married at the young age of 18 to Wes Parker in 1996 (ironically her character on Smallville would have been only ten years old at the time). The relationship lasted for three years.
A picture from Erica's 'Self' Magazine Photo Shoot
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Erica is actually credited in some film roles by her married name; Erica Parker. The first, The Untold, came out in 2002. After The Untold she starred in the TV movie, 111 Gramercy Park in 2003. Erica also starred in the 2003 horror film, House of the Dead, as Erica Parker. The last movie in which she starred as Erica Parker was the TV movie Devil Winds in 2003. However, she also guest starred on “The Chris Isaak Show” as Erica Parker in 2004.
Mandy of the roles Erica has tackled have been Science fiction. “It’s coincidental that I’ve done so many SF shows. In general, I have a fairly eclectic tastes; I like to do anything that challenges me. It just so happens that all these shows shoot [in Vancouver], and I wanted to go for anything I could get up here. But every one of them was a great experience.”
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