Superman’s cousin brings a new girl hero to the family
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. Melissa Benoist, star of the new series Supergirl, wasn’t a comic-book geek or fan girl when she was growing up.
“My favourite superhero was Michael Keaton as Batman,” she said in a recent interview. She also wasn’t athletic or sporty. “I’m not co-ordinated in that way … I would have moments where I felt confident and where I felt strong and brave and like I could do anything. But then, like everyone else, I have really, really awkward, horribly awkward, moments,” Benoist said.
She stars as Superman’s caped cousin, Kara Zor-El, known as Kara Danvers, in the new Supergirl series, airing on CBS and Global.
The audition process was a long one, but Benoist, 27, best known for her role as Marley Rose on Glee, was a standout.
“We were like, ‘We have to get a diamond ring for that girl,’ but then we still needed to date the nation,” said producer Ali Adler. “We had to see maybe a thousand more women, and we never stopped being in love with Melissa.”
Benoist recalled learning about the part and realizing it was special.
“The second that I saw in my email inbox the title Supergirl, I just knew automatically that it was something important and it was something exciting and rare and that I wanted to be a part of it,” Benoist said. “From there, it was kind of that’s where the journey started.”
In this version of Supergirl, Kara doesn’t arrive on Earth until she is 13, so she remembers planet Krypton. Viewers will see flashbacks of Kara’s mother, Alura, played by Laura Benanti.
Kara has known all along that she has superpowers, but she’s been afraid to use them. Now, 10 years later, she’s ready to embrace her abilities and help fight crime.
Benoist says putting on the Supergirl boots and cape for the first time was exciting. (She showed photos of her dressed as Supergirl to family members, including her mother and husband, actor Blake Jenner.)
“I put on the cape and see that ‘S’ and something transforms,” she said.