Stephan Bender (born June 2, 1989) is an American actor who is best known for his portrayal of a young Clark Kent in Superman Returns. He went to Ava High School in Ava, Missouri until the middle of his junior year. His most recent film is Dream Boy, which is written and directed by James Bolton. It won the OUTFEST award for best screen writing and was adapted from the novel of the same name by Jim Grimsley. He plays Nathan, a lonely boy who has moved to rural Louisiana, where he falls in love with a neighboring farm hand despite having been abused by his father.