According to several media outlets, Jordan Elsass, who plays Jonathan Kent on the CW’s Superman & Lois series, did not report back to the show's filming location in Vancouver for the start of the upcoming third season. Therefore, his role will be recast. Warner Bros. released a statement saying,
“Jordan Elsass has notified the Studio that he will not be returning to Superman & Lois for season three due to personal reasons. The role of Jonathan Kent will be recast.”
Meanwhile, there are conflicting reports as to whether the actor voluntarily left or was let go from the production, with some sources noting that his vaccination status may have come into question as Canada has a strict policy that does not allow unvaccinated people into the country. Back in June, however, Elsass reportedly opened up about seeking treatment and taking a break from social media in a since-deleted Instagram post but was captured and reposted to Twitter by user @BobaTalks.
Did Jordan Elsass Foreshadow His Reason for Stepping Away from Superman & Lois?
Elsass was very candid about struggling with mental health in his post, writing:
“Announcement time:
This is a big one. I won’t be on social media for quite some time, I’m not exactly sure how long yet, but at least a good couple weeks. I’ve been struggling recently with a number of things all pretty much revolving around mental health and well-being. I wrote this poem I don’t know if you can really call it a poem, I’ve never written one before, so I don’t really know what qualifies as or constitutes one, but this was my best attempt.”
Elsass’ message continues, in part:
“…I’m headed to a facility for a month to get the mental health back on track and get the tools I need, so I can help myself, because right now I can’t. For so long I felt weak, I felt like my problems weren’t real and that everyone else’s were bigger than mine. I felt that I needed to “man up” and deal with it internally.
“As you might imagine things got progressively worse over the past couple of years. I’m finally ready to get help and it’s a huge, huge sacrifice. I barely have any time home to spend with my family and friends before I go back for season 3 of S&L. But it’s worth it. It’s so worth it. I’m not just doing this for me, but I’m doing it for the people I love. I want every single one of you to know this.”
“I want you to know this because I also bet almost every single one of you has or is feeling the exact same way. You are sick of the same cycle over and over. You are sick of feeling like you don’t have a purpose. So let me tell you; you DO have a purpose. There is a plan for you. And don’t let ANYONE and I mean ANYONE tell you otherwise. You CAN do this. Ask for help, change your life. Don’t live in fear. Don’t live in regret. Don’t live in pain. Finish the fight.”
So far, neither Jordan Elsass nor his team has commented.