Most of us remember Christopher Reeve as the actor who portrayed Superman between 1978 and 1987, but Will Reeve remembers him as his father – a different kind of superhero. Born in 1992 to Christopher and Dana Reeve, Will was Reeve’s third child.
Now, he’s honoring his father in the new Superman film set to premiere in 2025. In a quick interview with TMZ, Reeve confirmed the cameo.
“I know the folks making the film, and they’ve been so kind to me and my family, and I had a free day so we made it [happen],” Will said. But when it comes to what his cameo entails, Reeve was tight lipped.
“It was a really great experience; they were super friendly; it was quick, easy…I was actually more nervous doing that than I am whenever I’m on TV for my normal job [because] there was so many people around and I had to memorize one line, but still!” Will admits he didn’t inherit his father’s acting chops but was excited to be a small part of the movie.
In 1995, just three years after Will was born, Christopher suffered a broken neck after being thrown from a horse – his first and second vertebrae were shattered. It left him paralyzed from the neck down for the next two decades, up until his death in October 2004. Will was just 11 years old at the time.
He had a good relationship with his father, with one source explaining that Christopher was watching his son’s hockey game – and were watching baseball together – the day before he died. “We shared a very deep bond in general, but sports was definitely a major component of our family bond,” said Will in 2015.
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Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only tragedy Will Reeve would experience before his teenage years. In 2006, not even two years after losing his father, Will lost his mother – Dana Reeve – to lung cancer at just 44 years old (Will was just 13). Within 17 months, the young boy went from having two parents to none.
Following the death of his mother, Will Reeve spent the rest of his childhood with a family friend in Bedford, NY – one of his mother’s final wishes. She made the arrangements leading up to her death because she wanted him to remain close to the people he grew up with for the past 10 years.
While Will Reeve made several appearances as a child actor in a few TV movies directed by his father, it wasn’t the acting scene Will found traction in. He eventually graduated from Middlebury College in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature – which he turned into a career path.
In late 2014, he joined ESPN as a commentator and remained with the company until 2018 – during that time, he was also the host of The MSG Hockey Show. Since 2018, he has been working as a correspondent for ‘all ABC News platforms (digital, radio, linear TV) and shows,’ according to his LinkedIn page.
Will Reeve Continues to Honor Parents Through Their Foundation
Following the spinal injury that left him paralyzed in 1995, Christopher Reeves – who was heavy on activism – wanted to use his misfortunes to better the lives of others. By 1999, his foundation had merged with American Paralysis Association (APA) to officially form the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
Will Reeve didn’t follow in his father’s acting footsteps but he did follow in his activist footsteps. Since 2013, Will has served on the Board of Directors for the foundation and takes his role with the non-profit seriously. Next year will be the 10-year anniversary of his joining the Reeve Foundation.
According to its official website, the foundation is ‘dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis.’ They add that roughly 1 in 50 people in the United States are living with paralysis at any given point in time.
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The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is built on several core beliefs – including providing knowledge, support, and resources to those with spinal injuries. They also promote a supportive and healthy attitude when seeking treatment, ensuring paralyzed individuals receive the care they need.