‘Glee’s’ Melissa Benoist Is Announced As CBS’ ‘Supergirl’
Glee’s Melissa Benoist is set to star in CBS’ new show, Supergirl. Described as a female empowerment story, the show, written by Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler, is an hour-long drama.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Benoist, who broke out in this year’s film Whiplash, will play Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, “who was born on the planet Krypton and escaped amid its destruction years ago. After arriving on Earth [Kara] was taken in by a foster family, the Danvers, who taught her to be careful with her extraordinary powers.”
The series will see Kara as a 24-year-old dejected girl, who feels more like a slave for having to repress her abilities. That is, until an unexpected event forces her to utilize her powers. This event gives Kara the courage to embrace her abilities and she soon begins to use her powers to help others in the city. She’s quickly given the name Supergirl.
Melissa Benoist cast as SUPERGIRL. I repeat, WE HAVE FOUND KARA! pic.twitter.com/FjlUISLmI2
— Superhero Feed (@SuperheroFeed) January 22, 2015
Just last week, Entertainment Weekly reported on CBS entertainment chairman Nina Tassler’s thoughts on the potential series.
“Tassler described the CBS version of the DC Comics icon as ‘a very strong, independent young woman. She’s coming into her own. She’s dealing with family issues. She’s dealing with work issues. It’s a female empowerment story.'”
“First, since Supergirl is on CBS, you can definitely expect the show to be a crime procedural. Yet Tassler emphasized the show will have serialized elements as well. ‘There will be [crime] cases, but what [executive producers] Ali Adler and Greg Berlanti pitched was a real series arc for her,’ she said.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Kara Zor-El on screen. Actress Laura Vandervoort portrayed the character on the CW series Smallville. Casting obviously doesn’t stop with Supergirl herself. Back in October, TVLine reported that CBS was also looking for someone to play the role of Alexandra “Alex” Danvers, Supergirl’s foster family sister.
So far, Supergirl hasn’t been ordered to series by CBS, but if the show makes it past the pilot, this would make CBS the last of all five networks to have their own superhero themed show. Here’s what fans think of Melissa Benoist as Supergirl.
@etnow NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! This makes it so much worse! — TheBookNerd (@ImStillJenna) January 22, 2015
@DCComics Why they didn’t choose to Claire Holt as supergirl? She was perfect for the role
— speedy (@starfirerun) January 22, 2015
@Variety I think she will be a good as super girl — Danielle (@2danielle5) January 22, 2015
@NYMag Really? How politically incorrect to find a pretty woman to play the part of a pretty woman. What of “women r not sex objects” bit?
— Francisco González-S (@fgsadvisor) January 22, 2015
[Image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]
