SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Superman. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!
Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen is unquestionably one of the standout heroes in writer/director James Gunn's newly releasedSuperman... but it's not exactly his prowess as an ace reporter at the Daily Planet that provides him with the scoop of a lifetime. Instead, it's because the guy has an uncanny way with the ladies – and specifically gets Lex Luther's girlfriend Eve Teschmacher caught in his thrall.
But what exactly is it that makes Jimmy Olsen so irresistible? As captured in the video at the top of this article CinemaBlend's own Jeff McCobb did his own bit of investigative journalism and went straight to the source – asking actress Sara Sampaio about Eve's obsession during the Superman press day in Los Angeles last month. Initially, Sampaio just gave it up for the attractiveness of the young journalist, but then she also admitted that there's something that is a tad broken inside her character:
He's a short king! He's obviously endearing. And I think as well, in a way, like, he's the first guy to say, ‘No’ to her. I don't think Eve has heard ‘Nos’ a lot. So I think, you know, he's like, ‘I don't want to be with you.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean? You don’t want to be with me. What do you mean?’
Eve Teschmacher is beautiful and successfully earned the attention of the world's richest man in Lex Luthor, so she clearly has a history of getting what she wants – but Jimmy doesn't really want her. Let's not forget that she is saved in his phone as, "Shrimp Toes," and he's obviously not enthusiastic about her clinginess... which is a side effect of her being all the more into him because he's not into her.
Continuing, Sara Sampaio brought out the "I" word – "Insecure" – to help define Eve's relationships, and Jimmy's feelings are (if you'll pardon the expression in this context) her kryptonite. Added the actress,
And then I think in a way she is probably very insecure as well. And she boots that old persona. And so I think he's like touching a little bit on an insecurity. You're like, ‘What do you mean you don't like me? But like, everyone has to like me and now I want you more. And I'm like, obsessed with you now.’ So I think it's a lot of that dynamic at least, that I use to really give her obsession with Jimmy [a background].
It would probably be beneficial for Eve Teschmacher to seek therapy, as she clearly has some deep self-esteem issues that need sorting out by a professional – but for what it's worth, her mental issues end up helping to save the world in Superman. Her obsession with Jimmy Olsen leads her to betray the abusive Lex Luthor and send the Daily Planet staff a series of selfies that expose the supervillain's nefarious efforts orchestrating the Boravian invasion of Jarhanpur.
Do Eve and Jimmy have a romantic future together? We'll probably have to wait until a Superman 2 gets made for a real answer to that question, and while that project has not yet been announced, keep your eye out for news regarding the slate of upcoming DC movies, as it's hard to imagine that it will be long before a sequel starts moving into development.
