An Israeli actress has been chosen to play the woman who gave birth to the Man of Steel

Ayelet Zurer will play Superman's birth mother in a new film adaptation of the classic comic book series.

Ms Zurer, 42, is no stranger to action films, having played the wife of a Mossad agent in Steven Spielberg's Munich and scientist Vittoria Vetra in Angels And Demons.

Superman will be played by actor Henry Cavill and the film, set to be released in 2013, is being directed by Zack Snyder.

"I'm very happy and excited," she told Ynet.

Superman was created by Jewish comic book pioneers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the 1930s.