Sara Sampaio Took One Thousand Selfies for ‘Superman’ and Somehow Made Them Matter

When early trailers for James Gunn’s Superman teased Sara Sampaio, as Eve Teschmacher, snapping selfies during a Metropolis attack, audiences rolled their eyes. “What is she even doing in this movie?” became a refrain online. But now that the film has arrived, many of those same critics are calling her the unexpected MVP. And yes, those selfies ended up saving the day.

The character poster for Eve in Superman – WBD

An interview with The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Sampaio, a Portuguese supermodel turned actor, leaned fully into the comedic and chaotic energy of Eve: a social media-obsessed girlfriend of Lex Luthor who seemed, at first glance, too vapid to matter. But behind the exaggerated vanity and high heels was a character sharper than she looked, and one very aware of how she was being perceived.

A Character Built for the 2020s

The image of a woman taking selfies during a disaster is one that feels pulled directly from today’s headlines. That, in fact, is the point of Sara Sampaio and her character in Superman. Sampaio has acknowledged that Eve’s behavior, while heightened for comedy, reflects real-life trends—from influencers staging protest photos to people performing their lives for the algorithm. The selfie-as-shield trope not just a punchline, but a commentary.

Lex Luthor in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC

And in Eve’s case, it’s also survival. With Lex Luthor’s past girlfriends having mysteriously disappeared, Eve’s obsessive photo-documenting of her surroundings becomes a subtle act of self-preservation. 

It’s fitting that Eve’s arc mirrors Sampaio’s own career pivot. While many dismissed her as a model-turned-actress coasting on looks, Sampaio moved to Los Angeles in 2018 with one goal: to act seriously. She turned down runway gigs, studied the craft, and eventually caught the eye of James Gunn’s wife, Jennifer Holland, during casting for Superman. That bit of behind-the-scenes advocacy led to her biggest role yet—and the chance to flip expectations.

From Comic Relief to Crucial Player

Sampaio’s performance is sly, unselfconscious, and ultimately clever. Eve knows people underestimate her and uses that. And the movie lets her prove everyone wrong.

Lex Luthor in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC

Across just twenty days of filming, Sampaio took over one thousand selfies in character, many of which were used throughout the film as background gags or plot points. While some were carefully composed under Gunn’s direction, others were spontaneous, lending Eve an authenticity that transcended parody.

She even got a few scenes that didn’t make the final cut, like taking a photo with a snow monster slain by Krypto, or posing on the lap of a freakish alien nicknamed “Mr. Handsome.” But the final edit keeps the focus on what matters: Eve being underestimated, ridiculed, and ultimately coming out on top.

A Different Kind of Superpower

Eve may not have heat vision or a cape, but she embodies a different kind of strength—one rooted in cunning, charisma, and a weaponized sense of image. Whether clinging to a billionaire for security or chasing down Jimmy Olsen for validation, she’s messy and chaotic, but not stupid.

Eve in Superman – YouTube, DC

And for Sampaio, that duality is exactly what made her such a joy to play. As she put it, “Smart people can enjoy pink and bedazzled clothes. Humans are complex.” In a movie filled with aliens, superhumans, and moral dilemmas, Eve stands out precisely because she shouldn’t matter, and then does.