Tom Welling has broken his silence after an accidental exposure in a hotel window reflection went viral.
The “Smallville” actor, 49, addressed the incident on Saturday through his Instagram Stories, where the original photo had been posted Friday with the caption “Hello, NYCC.” Welling had traveled to New York City for New York Comic Con, where the cast of the WB/CW series is reuniting this weekend ahead of the show’s 25th anniversary on Oct. 16.
Welling’s since-deleted post showed the skyline view from his hotel room, but fans quickly spotted that the reflection revealed more than intended. Screenshots of the NSFW image circulated widely across social media platforms after the photo remained visible for at least 10 hours.
The actor fired back at the online attention with a follow-up Instagram Stories post. “For everyone that reposted my last story… You’re Welcome,” he wrote. “For everyone that is hating… I’m not sorry.”
Welling continued his unapologetic stance in a second post. “For everyone that is LOVING my last story… Thank you for keeping it fun,” he shared. “For everyone that is concerned… I’m GREAT!”
The “Cheaper by the Dozen” star’s direct response marked a sharp pivot from Friday, when a representative for Welling had not immediately responded to requests for comment from outlets including the outlet.
The New York Comic Con reunion brings together cast members from the series that premiered on the WB in 2001 and ran for 10 seasons before concluding on the CW in May 2011. Welling starred as Clark Kent alongside Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang and Erica Durance as Lois Lane in the show chronicling Superman’s formative years.
Welling’s personal life has undergone significant changes since his superhero days. He and his wife, Jessica Rose Lee, relocated from Los Angeles to a small town in Northern California during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, bringing along their son Thomson Wylde, born in January 2019. The couple married in November 2020. Welling was previously married to model Jamie White from 2002 to 2015.
The move north came as Welling confronted the realities of lockdown life with a crawling infant in a cramped space. “LA was wild at the time,” he said in an interview published in January. “There were no cars on the street. You couldn’t go anywhere.”
“People weren’t leaving their homes,” Welling continued. “Our first son was starting to crawl, and we only had this tiny deck for him to play on. There was this thought of, we don’t know if we can be here anymore.”
The “Lucifer” actor noted that he had always planned to exit Los Angeles eventually, but the timeline accelerated after a family visit introduced him to a ranch in Northern California that captured his imagination. “No one bothers you in a small town,” Welling said. “Everyone’s famous in a small town.”
The Comic Con appearance represents a rare public outing for the actor, who has maintained a relatively low profile since leaving Hollywood’s orbit. The “Smallville” 25th anniversary falls on Oct. 16.
Welling’s weekend schedule includes continued appearances at the Javits Center through Sunday’s convention programming.