Superman isn’t the only one whose legacy will be cemented in the DCU as Clark Kent’s cousin, the Girl of Steel herself, is finally getting her own movie again the form of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
Coming hot on the heels of David Corenswet’s casting as Kal-El, Milly Alcock has been hired to play Supergirl in Kara Zor-El’s upcoming solo film, her first in 40 years. While not quite as storied on screen as her more famous family member, Alcock nevertheless joins a long line of actresses who’ve donned the heroine’s red and blue costume before her — whether that be in live-action or animation, film or TV, or in games.
With Alcock’s Kara flying soon into cinemas, it’s time to unleash the ultimate Kryptonian competition and name the very best portrayals of Supergirl across the media to date. Milly, these are the ones you need to beat.
10. Meredith Salenger (Teen Titans GO! To The Movies)
Voice actress Meredith Salenger has the honor of portraying the only animated Supergirl to appear on the big screen. Kara Zor-El made a brief light-hearted cameo in 2019’s Teen Titans GO! To The Movies!, with the heroine attending a movie premiere while wearing Plastic Man as a dress. Yes, you read that right.
9. Meg Donnelly (Legion of Superheroes)
Most known for Disney’s Zombies franchise and for staring in The CW’s short-lived Supernatural prequel The Winchesters, Meg Donnelly might’ve lost out to Alcock to star in Woman of Tomorrow but at least she’s the character’s current voice actress, appearing in three animated straight-to-DVD films to date.
8. Laura Bailey (Injustice 2)
While Supergirl only made a brief cameo in Injustice, she was a playable character in Injustice 2 and featured heavily in the game’s story. In contrast to Donnelly’s good-natured version, Laura Bailey’s Supergirl is righteous and moraled, prepared to fight her own corrupted cousin for the good of the universe.
7. Summer Glau (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse)
Firefly favorite Summer Glau offers an even tougher, more ruthless take on Supergirl than Bailey’s in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. In this continuity, Kara is brainwashed by Darkseid into doing his bidding, leading to a fierce battle with Kal-El, until her cousin is able to free her from the villain’s control.
6. Nicole Sullivan (DC Super Hero Girls)
For younger fans familiar with the DC Super Hero Girls animated series, Nicole Sullivan will probably be their Supergirl. Unlike her famous role as the sultry Shego in Kim Possible, Sullivan portrays a very optimistic and naive interpretation of the character, who idolizes the superheroines who have come before her.
5. Laura Vandervoort (Smallville)
It took seven seasons, but Smallville eventually gave us TV’s first live-action Supergirl in the form of Laura Vandervoort. The Canadian actress looked like she had walked right off the comic book page as Kara Kent and was interestingly portrayed as more advanced in her Kryptonian powers than Clark. Sadly, she only makes the occasional appearance from season 8 onward, but Vandervoort made the most with what she was given.
4. Helen Slater (Supergirl)
Helen Slater may have had the misfortune of starring in 1984’s Supergirl, one of the worst reviewed superhero films of all time, but these days Slater herself is quite rightly regarded as a DC icon, having returned to the multiverse in the likes of Smallville, The CW’s Supergirl and The Flash movie. She brings a strong sense of courage, compassion, and grace to her original iteration of the Girl of Steel, despite the ridiculous film around her.
3. Nicholle Tom (DC Animated Universe)
The DC Animated Universe, aka the Diniverse, gave us many fan-favorite portrayals of DC heroes and villains, from Kevin Conroy’s Batman to Mark Hamill’s Joker, but one who is hugely underrated is Nicholle Tom’s performance as Supergirl. Across Supergirl: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited, we see Kara grow and mature, from a fish-out-of-water on Earth to finding her own fate in the future, making her the on-screen Supergirl who’s most faithful to the comics.
2. Sasha Calle (The Flash)
DC loyalists have been eager to see Sasha Calle in action as Supergirl for the longest time, especially after a Man of Steel Easter egg hinted at her existence in the DCEU a decade ago. When The Flash finally arrived, fans wasted no time in embracing Calle as the character. While initially colder and more distant than other interpretations due to her altered backstory (blame Barry Allen), Kara Zor-El becomes the fearless heroine we know and love by the film’s end. Honestly, many are a little sore that James Gunn didn’t invite Calle back to play the DCU’s Supergirl too, although Alcock’s popularity is somewhat offsetting any misgivings.
1. Melissa Benoist (Supergirl)
As much of an impact as Calle instantly made on the DC fandom, it’s hard to call her a definitive Supergirl, after a supporting role in a single movie. So that means the honor of being the most quintessential incarnation of Supergirl ever to grace the screen must go to Melissa Benoist. Easily the actress to play her the most, the lead of The CW’s Supergirl brought the Girl of Steel to life across 6 seasons, comprising 126 hours of television, embodying everything the character represents — most of all Kara’s boundless hope — for an entire generation of DC lovers. The Arrowverse may be over, but Benoist’s red cape will cast a long shadow. Good luck, Milly!
