ents ▁as ▁an ▁" ex periment ▁in ▁extreme ▁parent ing ". ▁The ▁character ▁Ch lo e ▁S ull ivan ▁( All ison ▁Mack ) ▁was ▁also ▁created ▁for ▁the ▁show . ▁Lex ' s ▁father ▁has ▁previously ▁been ▁dep icted ▁in ▁other ▁media . ▁ ▁Lion el ▁L ut hor ▁is ▁port rayed ▁in ▁the ▁program ▁by ▁John ▁Glo ver ; ▁Glo ver ▁said ▁he ▁appreci ates ▁the ▁" clear ▁canvas " ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁when ▁developing ▁his ▁port ray al ▁of ▁Lion el . ▁In ▁season ▁one , ▁Glo ver ▁tra ve led ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁V ancouver ▁every ▁week ▁while ▁film ing ▁his ▁scenes ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁already ▁committed ▁to ▁stage ▁appearances ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁When ▁port ray ing ▁the ▁character ' s ▁struggle ▁with ▁terminal ▁li ver ▁disease , ▁Glo ver ▁was ▁inspired ▁by ▁a ▁friend ' s ▁battle ▁with ▁cancer ; ▁he ▁said ▁his ▁friend ▁was ▁a ▁" che er le ader ▁to ▁people ", ▁who ▁supported ▁and ▁boost ed ▁others ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁feeling ▁bad . ▁When ▁Glo ver ' s ▁friend ▁learned ▁he ▁had ▁cancer ▁he ▁fought ▁hard ▁to ▁get ▁over ▁it , ▁but ▁when ▁he ▁learned ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁terminal ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁bed ▁and ▁stopped ▁e ating ▁until ▁he ▁died ▁about ▁ten ▁days ▁later . ▁This ▁helped ▁Glo ver ▁understand ▁how ▁someone ▁powerful ▁and ▁full ▁of ▁life ▁could ▁commit ▁suic ide — which ▁Lion el ▁prepar es ▁to ▁do ▁when ▁he ▁lear ns ▁his ▁ill ness ▁is ▁terminal