Then & Now: Smallville's Lana Lang Is Still Such A Stunner Today

When the Superman origin story "Smallville" hit TV screens in 2001, it launched many a young acting career with its cast full of Clark Kent's friends. This included the central character Lana Lang, Clark's teenage love interest, played by up-and-coming Canadian performer Kristin Kreuk. According to commentary from the show's creators, Kreuk was actually the very first person to be cast, even before they'd chosen Superman himself, showing just how pivotal she was to the series.

It turned out to be good casting, as Lana became a fan favorite among viewers. With an arc that took her from the girl next door to a strong young woman with powers of her own at times, Lana still sparks conversation to this day, and the character earned Kreuk a devoted fanbase. Of course, it didn't hurt that Kreuk is naturally gorgeous, with a unique, standout beauty that even earned her a spokesperson role for the skincare brand Neutrogena, which makes some of the best skincare products for adult acne. And Kreuk's ad-worthy beauty hasn't waned at all in the years since "Smallville" finished its run.

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Though she's now in her 40s, Kreuk barely looks any different from those late teenage years on set. In fact, many fans argue that she's improved with the passage of time. "I actually think Kristin Kreuk looks better now than on Smallville," one Reddit user commented in 2025, and others hastened to concur. As another Redditor wrote, "There is just something about aging gracefully that I respect. She isn't full of filler or Botox. She looks lovely." We can't help but agree, as Kreuk's social media is a testament to her timeless appeal.

Kristin Kreuk has grown up a lot in the decades since "Smallville" premiered, but the star is still so otherworldly that we'd half-believe she was from the planet Krypton herself. Instagram shows that she knows taking selfies is an art and has mastered it, such as the soft, ethereal shot she posted in April 2026. Kreuk's eyes glow as she catches some sunshine through a windowpane, illuminating her radiant skin and cozy knitted sweater. Kreuk was equally mysterious in another Instagram post from December 2025, which catches her against a bare winter sky. Despite the cold weather, the "Burden of Truth" star looks calm and ageless.

But while Kreuk's beauty may seem undeniable now, it didn't always feel that way to her. Like many celebrities who've suffered through public scrutiny, Kreuk had to deal with a lot of insecurities, especially early in her career. "When we started on Smallville, there were no social media. Thank God. But there were forums on the Internet and ... you're drawn to reading the worst things you can about yourself," she told TV, eh? in 2019. "It was just something that I was compelled to do. It was almost like I was trying to numb myself to this thing. But why did I care what these people thought? If they thought my eyes were too far apart or they thought that I looked too young. ... I'm like, 'Why was I obsessed over this?'" she continued. All of this feedback was a different reality for Kreuk, who hadn't thought twice about physical appearances while growing up.

Scoring the role of Lana on "Smallville" thrust Kristin Kreuk into the public eye, but this journey to stardom was made more complicated by her reluctant relationship with beauty. "I was kind of a righteous child," Kreuk told Audrey (now Character Media) in 2013. "I was really anti-shallowness, and in my limited view, I perceived putting effort and caring about what I looked like to be something that was somehow wrong."

Stylist Sima Kumar added further context, saying, "She comes from a family that didn't feed into how beautiful she is, and she was taught that your currency isn't in your looks. ... So when Kristin first started acting, and there was a need for her to look a certain way, I don't think she even understood it. It seemed silly and stupid to her." Kreuk agreed, saying, "That was definitely something I was also p***ed about. ... I was like, 'I don't want to be seen this way. I want to be seen as a real person. So I'm going to wear the baggiest clothes ever!'"

It was only during a trip to Nepal that Kreuk finally decided to follow her own style without worrying that she would be judged. "I literally got out of the Himalayas and was like, 'I'm going to put on some freakin' makeup, earrings and a nice shawl,'" the actor recalled. "'What am I so afraid of? I love beautiful things, gorgeous textiles, colors and craftsmanship. I want to look good and feel good.'" Years later, it seems this was a vital realization, as Kreuk continues to deliver impactful looks. And she's not the only gorgeous woman blazing a path after appearing in Superman-related media — just check out what '80s Supergirl Helen Slater looks like now.