5 Actresses Who Have Played Supergirl in Shows and Movies
5 Actresses Who Have Played Supergirl in Shows and Movies
Christopher RudolphSat, June 27, 2026 at 9:30 AM UTC
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Helen Slater in 'Supergirl' (1984), Melissa Benoist in 'Supergirl,' Milly Alcock in 'Supergirl' (2026)Credit: Tri-Star/Kobal/Shutterstock; Robert Voets/CBS; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures -
Supergirl made her comic book debut in 1959, but didn't star in her own movie until 1984
Several actresses have played the heroine, including Laura Vandervoort, who portrayed her on Smallville
Milly Alcock will star as Supergirl in a new movie, flying into theaters in June 2026
For over 40 years, actresses have been suiting up as Supergirl, the "Woman of Tomorrow."
The latest to play Superman's Kryptonian cousin is Milly Alcock, who, after making a cameo in 2025's Superman, is starring in her own Supergirl movie, which premiered June 26.
While Supergirl's comic book debut was in 1959, it wasn't until 1984 that the comic book character appeared on-screen.
The first Supergirl film didn't become a multi-film franchise like Christopher Reeve's Superman, but the mighty "Girl of Steel" did eventually appear on TV in Smallville and in her own titular series, which ran for six seasons.
In honor of the new Supergirl movie's release, here's a look back at the actresses who have played the hero.
01 of 05
Helen Slater in Supergirl (1984)
Helen Slater as Supergirl in 'Supergirl' (1984)Credit: Tri-Star/Kobal/Shutterstock
Actress and singer-songwriter Helen Slater was the first actress to portray the superheroine, starring as Kara Zor-El/Linda Lee a.k.a. Supergirl.
In the 1984 action film, she faced off against an evil sorceress named Selena, played by Faye Dunaway.
Supergirl wasn't well received by critics, but Slater recalled that making the film was "a phenomenal experience."
"I’ve had the best time. I wish it had done better. I wish it was received better. And now many years later it seems that it was, to a certain group of people," she told Den of Geek in October 2010.
Slater only starred as Supergirl in the one movie, but her DC Comics connection didn't end there. She would later play Lara-El, the biological mother of Superman on Smallville, and Eliza Danvers, the adoptive mother of Kara on the Supergirl series.
Speaking to PEOPLE in June 2026, Slater shared that she was "fully on board" with Alcock's modern iteration.
02 of 05
Laura Vandervoort in Smallville (2007-2011)
Laura Vandervoort as Supergirl in 'Smallville'Credit: Michael Courtney/The CW
Laura Vandervoort was the first actress to star as Supergirl on TV.
The Canadian actress played Kara a.k.a. Supergirl on three seasons of Smallville, about the high school years of Clark Kent in his small hometown.
In August 2025, Vandervoort spoke with her Smallville costar, Michael Rosenbaum, on his podcast, Inside of You, where she revealed how filming the series was "such a blur" for her.
"I was so young. I was so nervous. I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I should have," she said. "Had I been able to go back in time and do it now, I would have enjoyed every moment."
Like Slater before her, Vandervoort would also return to the DC Comics TV universe, appearing as the villain Indigo on Supergirl.
"Stepping into the DC world again, but as a villain, was a nice change for me and something I was excited about," she told Entertainment Weekly in February 2016.
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03 of 05
Melissa Benoist in Supergirl (2015-2021)
Melissa Benoist as Supergirl in 'Supergirl' (2015-2021)Credit: Darren Michaels/Warner Bros. Entertainment
Melissa Benoist stayed in the air as the Kyrptonian superhero for the longest, playing the titular character for all six seasons of the Supergirl series, from 2015 to 2021.
After it was announced that Supergirl would be ending with season 6, Benoist posted an emotional tribute on Instagram, writing, "To say it has been an honor portraying this iconic character would be a massive understatement."
"Seeing the incredible impact the show has had on young girls around the world has always left me humbled and speechless," her caption continued. "She’s had that impact on me, too. She’s taught me strength I didn’t know I had, to find hope in the darkest of places, and that we are stronger when we’re united."
"What she stands for pushes all of us to be better," Benoist added. "She has changed my life for the better, and I’m forever grateful."
04 of 05
Sasha Calle in The Flash (2023)
Sasha Calle as Supergirl in 'The Flash' (2023)Credit: FlixPix / Alamy Stock Photo
Sasha Calle made her feature film debut as Supergirl in 2023's The Flash.
In the movie, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) joins forces with a retired Batman (Michael Keaton) to find Superman, only to meet Calle's Supergirl instead.
Despite Supergirl being killed by General Zod (Michael Shannon) in the climatic battle, Calle still voiced her desire to return as Supergirl someday.
"I hope to continue playing Supergirl. I love her deeply! And I think that [The Flash] is really a runway to a bigger story for her," she told Entertainment Weekly in June 2023. "We don't really get to experience a lot. I feel like this is a runway to a bigger story."
Calle also made history as the first Latina actress to play Supergirl.
“It means the world to me. It's such an honor. It's such a joy," she told PEOPLE in June 2023. “I'm so excited for my community to watch it, to feel seen, to feel represented. It’s such a beautiful thing.”
05 of 05
Milly Alcock in Supergirl (2026)
Molly Alcock as Supergirl in 'Supergirl' (2026)Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Alcock made her first appearance as Kara, a.k.a. Supergirl, at the end of 2025's Superman, starring David Corenswet as the "Man of Tomorrow."
In December 2025, a teaser trailer for Supergirl was released, showing Kara as more of a mess than her Metropolis-saving Kryptonian cousin.
At a watch party for the preview, Alcock told PEOPLE, "I'm really excited for everybody to see all of our crew's hard work in curating all the worlds physically, all the aliens and the VFX."
"Literally thousands of people made this project come to life. So I'm really excited for their work to be reflected," she continued. "For people to see it."
When her Supergirl casting was announced in January 2024, Alcock shared a now-deleted Instagram post, saying she was "so excited to be a part of the DC fam."
"Thank you so much to @jamesgunn for trusting me with Kara / Supergirl 💙🥹💙," her caption continued, shouting-out DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
