DAVID HAREWOOD (as Hank Henshaw/J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter, a former CIA agent and head of the Department of Extra-Normal Operations [DEO])

Credits: As Nelson Mandela in the BBC drama Mrs. Mandela, as Martin Luther King in The Mountaintop, and as David Estes (the director of the CIA’s Counter-Terrorism Center in Homeland).

When you first signed on to the show as Hank Henshaw, did you know that the character was going to evolve into something very different?

“I had no idea what character I was playing. They only told me about a week before we started filming that I was not really Hank Henshaw. I knew he was changing, but I didn’t know what he was changing into. I’m really happy that it was Martian Manhunter. He looks awesome; he’s got a great look and the outfit is great, and he’s been cool to play. I wasn’t aware that viewers love Martian Manhunter. Everyone keeps coming to me and saying, ‘Thank you for bringing this character to life and giving him such humanity.’ It’s awesome to feel that love and that respect.”

What went into your research for your character?

“I spend three weeks reading Martian Manhunter comics. I wasn’t familiar with the character, but I really couldn’t wait to play him. You know what? It’s been a real honor and a real privilege. I related to the family aspect of the character; the fact that he hasn’t got children. When we shot the first season, I was away from my family for an awful long time, so I drew on that sense of isolation and loneliness.”

The cast of Supergirl has a lot of actors with as theatrical background. Does that help in the superhero genre?

“What great about that is that everybody brings his ‘A Game’ to the set. There’s lots of messing around and there’s lots of pranks. But what’s wonderful about it is when it’s time for action and everybody brings his, yes, ‘A Game.’ It’s fantastic! Jeremy and Melissa sometimes break out in a song and they’ve got such awesome voices. When that happens, it really makes the day go quickly.”