"Supergirl" now has a face after CBS cast "Glee" star Melissa Benoist for the lead role of the upcoming series.
Benoist will be playing the role of "Supergirl" or Kara Zor-El, "an alien from Krypton who escaped to Earth during her home planet's destruction." "Since arriving on Earth, Kara has hid her powers, but now at 24, she decides to become the superhero she was meant to be," describes Fox News. In the series, Kara Zor-El will be Kara Danvers and arrives on Earth at the age of 12.
Kara is taken in by the Danvers, who knew of her powers but taught her to be careful of it.
The show will be based off characters from DC Comics, and the series will be under Berlanti Productions.
The character Supergirl is a cousin of the well-known superhero from the same planet, Superman. Before Benoist has been cast for the role, other female actors have been tested, including Claire Holt, Gemma Atkinson, and Elizabeth Lail, Deadline reports.
While not much is known about the series yet, a series of leaked audition tapes shows scenes that might appear on the pilot, Blastr says. The videos predate Benoist, and shows Kara working with Jimmy Olsen and Alex Danvers, Kara's adoptive sister. In one video, Kara talks to Jimmy, who reveals that he felt safe instead of afraid after seeing Superman's powers.
Another video has Kara talking to Alex, where the latter is apparently unhappy about Kara using her superpowers after a train accident. Alex is described as "science-minded" and brilliant.
The series will be penned by Greg Berlanti, who also writes for the show "Arrow," and Ali Adler. Berlanti and Adler are joined by Sarah Schechter as executive producers.
Benoist also starred in "Whiplash" and will be seen in "Danny Collins" where she stars with Jennifer Garner, Al Pacino, and Annette Bening. She is also in "The Longest Ride" alongside Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson.
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