We Remember: Christopher Reeve

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…Christopher Reeve!

A man of prominent stature, captivating presence and eloquent grace, Reeve laid the foundation for what the modern superhero could be and embodied the human spirit in a way that offered both challenge and hope. Join us as WE REMEMBER…Christopher Reeve

To many of us, there will only ever be one Superman. As great as someone like Henry Cavill is (and he legitimately is excellent) for those of us who grew up with his movies, Reeve became the character, probably in a way that led to a bit of typecasting and frustration on his part down the line. Yet, there was something so noble and unique about his depiction of both the Man of Steel and the stammering, clumsy Clark Kent (who no one has come close to nailing since). Additionally, he was also terrific in other non-superhero movies, such as the romantic classic Somewhere in Time opposite Jane Seymour and the neo-noir thriller Street Smart, co-starring Morgan Freeman at his most atypically vicious.

However, there were other reasons Reeve is regarded so highly by us. When a horrible accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, rather than retreat from the public eye or give up on life, Reeve became a champion for those who suffered as he did. He always swore he’d walk again, and indeed his medical progress at times was incredible. Despite being confined to a wheelchair and a respirator, he kept acting and gave tons of interviews, always maintaining good humour and looking back on his time as the man of steel with fondness. When he died on October 10th, 2004, we lost a true hero, but one whose heart and soul lives on through both his movies and the good he did in his life. This is our tribute to the hero we all love – Christopher Reeve.

We Remember: a new ongoing series where we pay tribute to some of our favorite people who leave an incredible legacy behind them while they may have passed on. Previous episodes have focused on lost legends like Robin Williams, Bruce and Brandon Lee and more. Check out some episodes below: