Celebrity Scoop: Jimmy Bennett

Jimmy Bennett is not a football player in real life, but he's been playing one on ABC's "No Ordinary Family."

As son J.J. Powell on the Tuesday drama about a family that acquires superpowers after a plane crash in South America, the 14-year-old Bennett has gone from playing a kid frustrated by his learning disabilities to a kid with a superbrain that has even allowed him to play quarterback on his high-school football team (football being all about physics).

"I've liked playing football," Bennett says. "I actually wasn't very good at throwing. I have been sacked, but I did make the score, so that's good.

"They taught me how to throw a football, how to catch, all that stuff. I like it. The only thing I would change about it is the weight of the pads and how hot and heavy all that is.

"I'm pretty good, I'd say, for someone who doesn't really throw a football. Everyone was surprised how good I was after filming a couple of days."

But, supersmarts aren't exactly the superpowers this "Spider-Man" fan was hoping for.

"When I found out I had superpowers, I jumped to it," says Bennett, "because this is an opportunity that most kids never get. It's like, you're living your dream of being a superhero and an actor."

As to whether he'd rather have lightning bolts shooting out of his fingers or be able to fly, Bennett says. "That's actually what I was looking forward to, the power to fly. If I were to get a manual, I would want super flying powers. But being supersmart, I don't deny its importance."

To be fair, no other Powells get to fly either: Dad Jim (Michael Chiklis) is superstrong and can jump long distances; mom Stephanie (Julie Benz) is superfast; and teen sister Daphne (Kay Panabaker) reads thoughts.