Tom Welling's 8 Best Movies & TV Shows

Published Sep 24, 2026, 6:30 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.

Tom Welling has been appearing in film and TV since 2000, having racked up a number of notable credits along the way. While Welling is likely best known for his turn as a young Clark Kent in The CW series Smallville, the actor has appeared in no fewer than 18 projects over the last 26 years, with many of his most impressive performances coming in recent years.

And of course, while 18 credits over almost three decades may not appear like many compared to some of his peers, Welling has had incredibly prolonged stints with individual characters, locking down much of his time for years. That being said, it's worth taking a look through his filmography at some of Welling's most outstanding projects.

Smallville

Having already mentioned Smallville, it's worth addressing what is arguably Welling's most beloved performance right at the top. Welling came into the series as a very inexperienced performer, having appeared in a music video and making guest appearances in a handful of TV shows, including Judging Amy, where he had a six-episode arc, a single outing in a short-lived comedy series from Judd Apatow, Undeclared, and a stint as a nameless victim in the even shorter-lived TV series Special Unit 2.

Despite this, Welling landed the role that would see him appear in 217 episodes of a recurring series between 2001 and 2011. Welling delivered a captivating performance as a young Clark Kent, still coming to terms with his powers, and learning how to navigate growing up in a world where he was uniquely different.

Welling brought all of his boyish charm, boundless hope, and occasionally broody teenage drama to this part, and it served him incredibly well. However, it did mean that he was extremely busy for the first decade of his career and spent almost all of that time playing the same character, cementing a typecast in the minds of the audience that potentially held him back after the show ended.

Parkland

After his time on Smallville came to an end, Welling took a brief hiatus from acting before eventually picking things back up in a supporting role in the 2013 film, Parkland. Welling plays Roy Kellerman, a character based on the real-life Secret Service Agent who led President John F. Kennedy's security detail on the day that he was assassinated.

Considering the incredible talent across the ensemble cast, which included Zac Efron, Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton, David Harbour, and Elizabeth Tulloch, Welling held his own and delivered a compelling performance that proved he could move beyond the character of Clark Kent.

Elizabeth Tulloch would go on to eventually play Lois Lane in the Arrowverse's Supergirl opposite Tyler Hoechlin as Superman, before the two led their own series as these characters in Superman & Lois.

This also marks a transition for Welling as he shifted away from taking leading roles and opted to instead focus on establishing characters who added to the story in less overt ways. Evidently, this has continued with subsequent roles.

The Winchesters

For instance, The Winchesters sees Tom Welling in the role of Sam Campbell. Sam Campbell is the maternal grandfather of Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural, and he plays this part exquisitely in the spin-off series. While he only appears in three episodes, his presence is felt throughout, similar to early seasons of Supernatural when the brothers were trying to track down their father, John Winchester, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Welling gets to take on the role of a protective father and an experienced hunter in this series, and it's an enormous shame that the show didn't make it past the first season, because the potential to further explore the family dynamics of the Winchesters would have made for a compelling story. Regardless, Welling stands out among the cast of largely newer actors.

The Choice

In 2016, Welling took on a very different role as he played Dr. Ryan McCarthy, the long-term boyfriend of Gabby Holland, as Gabby finds herself pulled in two different directions. The film is a dramatic romance story based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks, and despite the light-hearted premise, it descends into a dark and emotional core.

The Choice is a compelling, creative, and twisty love story that follows the lives of very different characters from different worlds, and Tom's performance adds a whole other layer that is deeply satisfying to unravel. However, this is also perhaps the most passive role he appeared in on this list. That being said, it's definitely worth a watch for fans of the romance and drama genres.

Professionals

The 2022 action-adventure series, Professionals, saw Welling return to a leading role alongside Brandon Fraser. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after a single season, despite a positive reception from audiences across the board. Welling plays the role of Vincent Corbo, a top-tier security operative who is hired by a billionaire (Fraser) to recruit a team of the best experts possible to aid him in protecting his empire.

However, things get complicated when Corbo realizes that the billionaire's fiancée is his former lover, and the pressures of the job begin to mount, creating a challenging environment. While it seems as though Welling was ready to step back into the spotlight and take on a major role, the series did not get the attention it deserved, leading to that early cancellation.

Cheaper By The Dozen

Next up, one of the rare projects that Tom Welling appeared in while still playing Clark Kent. Welling played one of the twelve Baker children in the movie Cheaper by the Dozen, starring Steve Martin. Welling played Charlie Baker, the oldest son of the Baker children, and along with the original 2003 film, he reprized the role in 2005 for the sequel film.

As the oldest son, Charlie faced a unique challenge when the family was set to relocate for his father's job. With friends he had spent his entire school life with, and a girlfriend that Charlie truly cared for, he initially decided to stay behind while his family moved away. Welling brought a youthful energy and defiance to this role, and the humor of the film allowed him to showcase a different side to many of his other, more serious roles.

Draft Day

Draft Day was the next film that Welling appeared in following Parkland, and still saw the young actor redefining himself after his arduous stint on Smallville. Welling plays Brian Drew, a veteran quarterback for the Cleveland Browns whose position on the team seems to be in a tenuous position.

The film stars Kevin Costner as the coach, and Welling has some impressive emotional scenes where he goes toe to toe with the esteemed actor, along with a number of other impressive actors in the lineup, including Chadwick Boseman, Jennifer Garner, and more.

While Welling plays a more minor role in this film, he does an excellent job of establishing his presence and making the character of Brian Drew feel like a fully fleshed-out character whose future is laid out ahead of him and pushes him to react strongly, once again showing off Welling's talents and range.

Lucifer

Finally, after Professionals fell by the wayside, Welling finally did make a major return to TV with his appearance the a major antagonist for the titular antihero, Lucifer Morningstar, as played by Tom Ellis, in the popular series during the third season. Initially, Welling plays the role of the charming and charismatic Lieutenant Marcus Pierce, who ends up becoming Chloe Decker's new boss and eventual love interest.

But, as is revealed later in the season, Lieutenant Pierce has some big secrets of his own. This is absolutely one of Welling's most captivating and complex characters since his time on Smallville, and despite his character only appearing in 22 episodes of the overall run of Lucifer, this marked a new chapter in his career that paved the way for Welling to tackle more substantial roles.

It's clear that Tom Welling has been pretty intentional when it comes to the parts he plays, and he protects his privacy and personal time, but his talent as an actor makes him one actor worth watching as he embarks on a whole new era of his career and continues to move beyond the legacy role that made him a star in the first place.