Who should play Lois Lane? 8 contenders

Now that it's official that the suitably chiseled Henry Cavill ("The Tudors") will play the lead in the upcoming film Superman: Man of Steel, commentators are debating the next big casting questions: Who will director Zack Snyder (Watchman) and producer Christopher Nolan (Inception) choose to play Superman's iconic love-interest Lois Lane? And does she necessarily have to be Caucasian? Here are 8 actresses being talked up for the role:

1. Jessica Biel (The A-Team, Valentine's Day)

She's a "lead contender," says Michael at Movies Online. "She's got as much spunk as she has sexy appeal."

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2. Kristen Stewart (Twilight)

While it's rumored that she already auditioned, "let's be honest, no one outside the Twilight universe wants to see her in the role," says The HD Room. Yeah, and, though "it pains me to say this, Kristen is too 'big' to take the Lois Lane part," says Kaiser at Celebitchy. "She's the lead in one of the most popular and lucrative franchises of all time," so I can't imagine she'd take a supporting role in yet another franchise.

3. Rachel McAdams (Morning Glory, Wedding Crashers)

With Anne Hathaway out of the running — she's busy playing Catwoman in the next Batman movie — I think McAdams is the best bet, says Katey Rich at Cinema Blend. She's ably demonstrated that she has both "comic timing" and "sex appeal," and she "could easily carry the zingy rapport that Lois Lane has with Clark Kent in addition to melting when Superman lifts her off the ground."

4. Rebecca Hall (The Town, Please Give)

"If we had our way," says Kevin Jagernauth at The Playlist, she'd "get the gig." The elegant Brit is the right choice to portray a character who "has more than her share of beauty, brains, and focus on her career," says Sandy Schaefer at Screen Rant.

5. Rashida Jones ("Parks & Recreation," The Social Network)

She's capable of blending "humor, intelligence and the kind of capable presence that can stand up alongside any would-be Man of Steel," says Arturo at Racialicious. And her casting just "feels right.… Because if you can have a British Superman, what makes a biracial Lois so unkosher by comparison?"

6. Kerry Washington (For Colored Girls, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer)

While "I love the idea of a woman of color playing Lois Lane," I'm not sure Rashida Jones has "strong enough presence to anchor a big, presumably dark action film," says Nina Shen Rastogia at Slate. Instead, I'd love to see the formidable Kerry Washington in the role. "Great Krypton!"

7. Dianna Agron ("Glee")

The 24-year-old reportedly has a "real go-getter of an agent" who's managed to snag her auditions for high-profile parts, including ones in other franchises like Spider-Man, says Hollywood Insider. But she may be a "bit young."

8. Malin Akerman (Watchmen, Couples Retreat)

Although this is barely a rumor at this point, it "makes sense" that Akerman would be under consideration for the role, since she worked with director Zack Snyder on Watchmen, says Travis Hopson at Punch Drunk Critics. And "it wouldn't be a total shock to have a blond in the role."