Supergirl: Milly Alcock explains why taking the role ‘scared’ her

Milly Alcock opened up about taking on the role of Supergirl, handling online criticism, and stepping into one of DC Studios’ biggest upcoming projects.

The Australian actor will star as Kara Zor-El in Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira. The film follows Alcock’s appearance in Superman alongside David Corenswet, with the character introduced as a more troubled and rebellious version of the iconic hero.

In an interview, she noted that she initially felt intimidated by the scale of the project and the responsibility of leading a major franchise film. She also said, “I looked at myself in the mirror, and I was like, ‘Who am I to turn down this opportunity? I knew that it was what I needed to do, because it scared me”.

DC Studios co-chairman James Gunn said he believed Alcock could bring “an innate edge” to the character after watching her performance in House of the Dragon. Producer Peter Safran added that the creative team felt emotional after her audition, saying, “Everybody had tears in their eyes.”

The film draws inspiration from the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic series, portraying Kara as emotionally conflicted and struggling with trauma following Krypton’s destruction. Alcock described the character as someone “at war with themselves”.

The actor also reflected on online reactions she experienced after House of the Dragon and recent comments about criticism aimed at women in entertainment franchises. “You’re proving my point,” Alcock said of the backlash she received online following a previous interview.

Alcock said she has learned to focus less on online commentary and more on real-life experiences while balancing growing public attention with her acting career. Supergirl is scheduled for release on June 26 as DC Studios continues building its new cinematic universe.