Helen Slater, who played Supergirl in 1984, praised Milly Alcock’s upcoming portrayal. She said she was ‘fully on board’ and felt the filmmakers ‘got it right,’ tapping into a ‘beautiful, irreverent, salty and gritty’ version of the hero.
Actress Helen Slater, who portrayed Kara Zor-El in the 1984 film, has expressed her enthusiasm for Milly Alcock’s upcoming portrayal of the iconic DC superhero, saying she is “fully on board” with the new interpretation of the character, according to People.
Speaking to People in an interview, Slater said she was impressed by Alcock’s brief appearance as Supergirl in James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ and believes the filmmakers have captured the essence of the character. “It was just so fun,” Slater said of Alcock’s appearance. “It was refreshing. I just was fully on board,” as per the outlet. The actress added that even from the short scene, she could tell that Gunn and “Supergirl” director Craig Gillespie had “just really got it right.” “It’s just really tapping into something beautiful, irreverent, salty and gritty and great,” she said.
A New Take on Kara Zor-El’s Journey
Alcock, 26, stars as a very different version of Kara Zor-El from the one Slater portrayed more than four decades ago. However, Slater believes the new story remains true to the mythology surrounding the character, according to People. The upcoming film follows Kara as she embarks on an intergalactic journey alongside a young girl, played by Eve Ridley, who seeks revenge for her father’s death. The same man, portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts, also injured Supergirl’s beloved dog, Krypto.
According to Slater, the storyline aligns closely with the emotional wounds and trauma that Supergirl carries following the destruction of Krypton. “That fits very much into myth, into the hero’s journey or the heroine’s journey,” said Slater, who holds a PhD in mythology. “How do we navigate these giant emotions or these fractures in our past? How do we do that?”
Reflecting on a Superhero Legacy
Reflecting on her own groundbreaking role in the 1984 film, Slater noted that “Supergirl” was the first major big-budget movie centered on a female comic-book superhero. Although the film did not achieve the box-office success of the Christopher Reeve-led “Superman” movies, it has since gained cult-classic status.
“I think it’s interesting to reflect on how do we get the story right? Like, a female superhero versus a male superhero,” Slater said. “And I’m really hoping, and I have a good feeling, that this iteration that’s about to open, they will have gotten it right and it’ll be huge.”
Slater’s New Chapter
The actress, who recently appeared in ABC’s “The Rookie” as a professor of religious studies, said she is also enjoying a new chapter in her career as a mythologist, working with actors, writers and directors, according to People. “Nothing is ever really brand new,” Slater said. “There’s usually going to be a resource for that. And it’s my joy to do that kind of research and put it together, doing it in person or on Zoom, that kind of lane. So I love that very, very much.”
‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ Details
Written by Ana Nogueira and inspired in part by Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed comic book storyline “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” the new “Supergirl” film is scheduled to arrive in theatres on June 26, according to People. (ANI)
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