What Darkseid From Zack Snyder's Justice League Looks Like In Real Life

In 2021, director Zack Snyder's cut of "Justice League" became a reality. It took years of DC fan outcry to see it completed following the release of director Joss Whedon's 2017 cut, but at long last, fans could enjoy it via the HBO Max — now known as Max — streaming service. The final product clocks in around the four-hour mark, and within that massive runtime, the film has a lot to offer. In addition to providing more in-depth exploration for each character, additional action sequences, and better-explained story beats compared to the 2017 version, Snyder's "Justice League" also features another central antagonist.

Much like the first attempt at "Justice League," Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) is the main villain, but this time around, he's not alone. Snyder places heavy emphasis on the individual behind Steppenwolf's invasion of Earth, Darkseid, who rules the planet Apokolips with an iron fist and is voiced by the actor Ray Porter. For those unfamiliar, Porter — who looks nothing like his "Justice League" alter ego – has been on the professional acting scene since the 1990s. In the years since getting his start, he has worked on such television efforts as "ER," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," and "Shameless," as well as movies like "Almost Famous," "The Runaways," and "Argo."

"Justice League" is Porter's first foray into the DC universe, and taking on the role of Darkseid has put him among numerous talented names who've previously brought the villain to life in other projects.

At the time of this writing, Zack Snyder's "Justice League" is Darkseid's one and only live-action film appearance. Be that as it may, Ray Porter's take on the character isn't the first one to appear in a non-animated DC production. Years before the DC Extended Universe even began, Darkseid appeared during the waning days of the CW favorite "Smallville." However, this one is vastly different than the one seen in "Justice League." He's a mysterious entity shrouded in smoke who takes over the bodies of others to communicate with the likes of Clark Kent (Tom Welling).

As for animation, Darkseid has a far more robust track record. The first person to voice the character was legendary voice actor Frank Welker, who brought him to both "Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show" and "The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians" back in the 1980s. Other entertainment icons such as John DiMaggio, Tony Todd, Michael Ironside, and Keith David have also left their mark on Darkseid over the years. Even "Weird Al" Yankovic took a crack at the infamous DC antagonist via "Teen Titans Go!"

All of this is to say that Ray Porter is in good company when it comes to those who've come along to put their own unique spin on Darkseid across DC media.