Sara Sampaio's surprising turn in Superman (2025): How Eve Teschmacher became cinema's most misunderstood hero
Sara Sampaio’s performance as Eve Teschmacher in Superman (2025) has quickly become one of the film’s most unexpected talking points. Once seen as little more than comic relief—or worse, a puzzling side character—Eve’s arc has flipped public opinion in a way few roles manage to do. For Sampaio, this dramatic shift is proof that complexity and purpose often lie beneath surface impressions.
Sara Sampaio breaks down how a thousand selfies and an underestimated character made Eve Teschmacher the sleeper MVP of Superman (2025).
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Audiences were quick to question Teschmacher’s presence when early trailers showed her snapping selfies amid chaos. But context, as revealed later in the film, reframes her actions: Eve was stationed safely in the LutherCorp control room, away from the carnage Lex Luthor orchestrated in Metropolis. Still, her obsession with social media imagery struck a nerve, appearing tone-deaf to the real danger citizens were facing. According to Sampaio, that reaction was exactly the point.
The actress, known previously for her work as a top model, explains that the character was designed to satirize and reflect real-world behavior. From influencers staging protest selfies to tourists snapping photos at solemn historic sites, the line between self-promotion and awareness is increasingly blurred. Eve’s exaggerated antics were rooted in those realities—but with an added twist. Her selfies weren’t just about vanity; they were a safeguard against the fate that befell Luthor’s past girlfriends. In documenting her proximity to Lex’s plans, she ultimately exposed a conspiracy intended to turn the world against Superman.
Sampaio, who has pursued acting with dedication since 2018, knew the role would draw criticism. But she trusted the script and James Gunn’s direction to reveal Eve’s depth. “Everyone underestimated Eve from the start,” she says. “And now, suddenly, people realize—she saved the day.”
Transitioning from fashion to film wasn't a whim for Sampaio. Despite a flourishing modeling career, she admits it never aligned with her true aspirations. Acting had long been her goal, and after years of juggling schedules and missing formal training, she made the bold decision to step back from fashion to focus on screen work. That leap of faith paid off when Gunn’s wife, Jennifer Holland, championed her self-tape during casting for Superman.
During production, Sampaio took over 1,000 selfies with a prop phone as part of Eve’s character work. Some of those images were carefully directed to include key background elements, while others were spontaneous, capturing Eve’s larger-than-life personality. The character became a fusion of social satire and strategic brilliance—a blend Sampaio says was influenced by Harley Quinn and Valerie Perrine’s original Eve Teschmacher from the 1978 Superman film.
Though Sampaio performed most of her own scenes in 20 days on set, her presence leaves a lasting impression. Working alongside Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen) and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), she found chemistry and comfort, especially with Hoult, a familiar face from previous modeling campaigns.
When it comes to Eve’s polarizing love interests—Lex, the dangerous billionaire, and Jimmy, the grounded journalist—Sampaio believes her character’s desires stem from insecurity and the pursuit of safety. Eve gravitates toward power and validation, but when Jimmy rejects her, it triggers a spiral of obsession and conquest. Ironically, it’s that very intensity, paired with underestimated intelligence, that helps her unravel Lex’s scheme.
Gunn insisted Eve remain grounded, even amid comedic beats. That realism makes her antics simultaneously frustrating and believable. “She’s self-obsessed but not stupid,” Sampaio says. “She’s playing the game, and she plays it well.”
Reactions to Eve have been deeply divided. Some viewers hail her as the surprise hero of the movie; others feel the script mocks her. Sampaio embraces the dichotomy. To her, Eve represents a broader truth: humans are not monoliths. They can be absurd, brilliant, vain, and heroic—all at once.
On a lighter note, the actress recalls performing physical comedy in towering heels, a “stunt” that earned her jokes on set about doing her own action sequences. She even teases that the character’s signature penguin-like shuffle came from having to run in ultra-tight dresses.
Not all of Eve’s moments made the final cut. A playful selfie with a slain monster at the Fortress of Solitude was left on the editing room floor. Other than that, most of her storyline remained intact, allowing the audience to fully experience Eve’s arc—from misunderstood influencer to unlikely savior.
Looking back, Sampaio points to her first day on set in Svalbard as a defining memory. Filming in the icy terrain with co-stars like David Corenswet and Gabriela de Faria brought an overwhelming sense of fulfillment. “That was the moment I knew—I want to do this for the rest of my life.”
