Calista Flockhart to Star in ‘Supergirl’ for CBS
Calista Flockhart is returning to TV in a super way.
The Brothers & Sisters and Ally McBeal Emmy nominee has been tapped to star in CBS’ Supergirl, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The hourlong drama, which received a hefty series commitment, centers on Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), Superman’s cousin, who was born on the planet Krypton and escaped amid its destruction years ago. Benoist will play Kara, who after arriving on Earth was taken in by a foster family, the Danvers, who taught her to be careful with her extraordinary powers (which she shares with her famous cousin, Superman).
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Now 24, Kara feels disempowered, a slave to having repressed her innate abilities. She’s still pretty, but with her face hidden behind glasses and her hair pulled back, she doesn’t know it herself. But an unexpected disaster forces her to use her powers in public. Energized by her heroic deed, for the first time in her life Kara begins embracing her extraordinary abilities. She begins helping the people of her city, and they soon take notice. She’s even given a new moniker: Supergirl.
Flockhart will play DC Comics character Cat Grant. In CBS’ incarnation, Cat is the self-made media magnate and founder of CatCo. Cat started her career as a reporter and has built her company into a global powerhouse. Kara (Glee and Whiplash alum Benoist) works as Cat Grant’s assistant.
For Flockhart, the role marks her first series regular role following her five-season run on ABC’s Brothers & Sisters as well as five-season turn on Fox’s Ally McBeal. She also has a role on DirecTV’s Full Circle season two, where actors typically do one or two episodes. She’s repped by Gersh, Industry Entertainment and Jackoway Tyerman.
Fockhart joins a cast that, in addition to Benoist includes Necessary Roughness alum Mehcad Brooks as Jimmy Olsen and Nashville‘s Laura Benati in the recurring role of Kara/Supergirl’s mother.
Arrow and Flash’s Greg Berlanti and his No Ordinary Family cohort Ali Adler (The New Normal) will pen the script and executive produce the drama via Berlanti Productions’ Warner Bros. Television-based banner. Berlanti Productions’ topper Sarah Schechter is also on board to executive produce.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
