2023’s The Flash, to put it lightly, was a DCEU film that was not well-received among fans or at the box office. While the number of reasons for why that was the case could fill several articles, one of the film’s unexpected shining spots for many was actress Sasha Calle (of On Swift Horses and soap opera The Young and the Restless fame) and her portrayal of Kara Zor-El/Supergirl.
The 29-year-old Bostonian, who is of Colombian descent, made her big screen debut in The Flash and did a fine job channeling a wide range of the character’s emotions, such as confusion, empathy, self-doubt and anger in her somewhat brief time on the screen; simply put, Calle did great for what she was given to work with in The Flash.
Of course, now that the DCEU is being rebooted as the DCU (DC Universe) co-helmed by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and British-American film producer Peter Safran, many staple characters and the actors attached to their roles (such as Henry Cavill’s Superman, Ben Affleck’s Batman and even Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn) are being recast as well.
Unfortunately, Sasha Calle as Supergirl is one of those individuals, as James Gunn has recast the role of Supergirl to Milly Alcock of House of the Dragon fame to better fit his vision of the DCU. Alcock, while obviously disheartened to learn the news, was thankful of her opportunity to play Supergirl, noting the anxiety prior to obtaining the role and the love she had for it in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I just had to remind myself that I got to do this incredible movie and that I put my heart and soul into it, and that no matter where it was going to go, I did that,” Calle said. “No one could take that away from me, and I had to own it. As my first film, there were so many unknowns, and you can feel imposter-y, sometimes, because you’re trying to understand where you fit. But I again go back to having people in my life who support me and love me and know my value, and I had a lot of those people there to remind me that I was worth it and that I was strong and that I could enjoy what I had earned in that moment.”
In addition, Calle is most proud of the representation which she brought to the role of Supergirl, being a “queer Latina girl” who was certainly dissimilar in appearance to the traditional blonde-haired, blue-eyed version of the character that has been a prevalent archetype in the comics and comics media.
“It’s been said that a queer Latina girl like me couldn’t be Supergirl, but I was, and no one can take that away from me,” Calle added, “whether you saw yourself represented in me or not, a lot of people really connected with her and loved her.”
What are your thoughts on how Sasha Calle was ‘heartbroken’ to have lost Supergirl role in James Gunn’s new DCU, but happy for the representation she brought to the character? Did you like her portrayal of Supergirl in The Flash? Let us know in the comments.
