The Flash's Sasha Calle On Doing Her Own Stunts As Supergirl And The Cameo That Most Excited Her [Exclusive Interview]
The following article contains spoilers for "The Flash."
Sasha Calle plays Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, in the Warner Bros. Pictures/DC film "The Flash." She's the first Latina to take on the role. This may not be the Supergirl you're used to, though. This is an alternate universe version that Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) meets when he attempts to go back in time and save his mother (Maribel Verdú) from being murdered. This Kara is in a terrible situation when they meet up, and she ultimately joins Barry, alternate universe Barry (both played by Miller), and that same universe's Batman (Michael Keaton) in an action-packed extravaganza.
This is Calle's feature film debut, but she's already gotten notice for her work. In 2020, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Young Performer for her work on the soap opera "The Young and the Restless."
I recently got a chance to chat with Calle about taking on a role like this, what it means to her to be the first Latina Supergirl, doing her own stunts, the Supergirl suit, her favorite cameo, and more, including what she buys when she hits a comic book store.
Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
'My dream was to do all my stunts'
You are the first Latina Supergirl. It's so exciting. What was it like, seeing yourself on the screen in that suit?
Oh, that's crazy. You know what, though? It's like ... so my mom and my little brother [are] my heart, my life, and soul. They have not seen it yet. I haven't allowed them to see it until the premiere. So I think that day is when it's going to hit me. After the movie finishes, I'm going to look at them and be like, "Well, what do you think?" And I think that will be my moment. That will be my "Good job, Sash." I think that's when it's going to hit me.
Your fight scenes are insane. I mean, you punch a rocket! What was that like to shoot? Was there any kind of learning curve for the stunts?
Yeah, I mean, look, Eunice [Huthart], who was our stunt coordinator, was incredible. I did stunt training two hours a day, five times a week. Seven months, a whole seven months. Yeah. It was a blessing, though. It was my dream come true. I love stunts, I always wanted to — I had been boxing for three years prior, and I just loved it. And my dream was to do all my stunts. And when I got there, obviously contractually, for safety reasons, you have to have a stunt double. But when I got there, Eunice did this superhero movement kind of test where you had to jump, run, aim, throw things, and they kind of had to see where you were at in terms of movement and precision and choreography as well. And she kind of just silently decided that I was going to do my stunts.
And it wasn't until months later that I was like, "So are you getting a stunt double?" And she's like, "Nah, you're going to do all your stunts." And I was like, "Okay, sick!" We did have the incredible Jade [Lye]. She would set up shots for me, and she was incredible. And then I had Craig [Canning], who was my stunt coach [and] spent every single day with me, and Mikey [Lambert], who was my fight coach as well. They spent hours and hours and hours with me, and we all collectively worked together to create this Supergirl. And it was amazing. I mean, the adrenaline I have and the joy I have doing stunts is really cool, but it is also very taxing on the body. I had to do a lot of baths and physical therapy as well.
'I'm not a fangirl in general, but man, I couldn't stand'
At the end of this film, things are going to be different. Have there been any talks about "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow," or where she could fit in the DCU?
Oh, look, I hope to continue playing Supergirl. I love her. I'm so deeply in love with her. I think she's so incredible and so complex. And I think in this film, this is really the runway for her. We see this glimpse of her, but there's still so much to unpack in her story. I'm excited to take her apart and put her back in and just enjoy her with the world. I think there's so much story to tell, and I would love to continue playing Supergirl.
My fingers are crossed for you. I'd love to know which of the cameos really got you.
Wonder Woman. Are you kidding me? Yes, queen! Look, in 2017, I watched "Wonder Woman," Gal Gadot, and I remember seeing her and really feeling represented, and I was like, "That's what I want to do." I walked out of that screening, and I was like, "That's me." And I had this — the back of an IKEA frame, that wooden board in the back, and I created a vision board on there. That same year, I had seen "Atomic Blonde," and I put both of them [on it]. I put Gal Gadot in her Wonder Woman costume with a green screen fighting a stuntee, and I had to put Charlize [Theron] because she did all her own stunts. I thought that was the coolest thing.
And look, the moment I met her — I'm not a fangirl in general, but man, I couldn't stand. She got out of the car, and she was like, "Oh, baby!" And I was like, "Oh my God," I was so overwhelmed. And I was just like, "I, hi, I, oh my God, I'm Sasha." And she said, "I know! I know who you are. Like, no, hi." And I was just like [yells]. And she was like, "I'll give you my number if you ever need anything." And I was like [in a tiny voice], "Okay. Okay." And she did give me her number, which is an insane thing. I still, to this day, get shocked when I receive a message from her. I saved her as Gal Gadot, so when she messages me, I'm just like — it's like a wild shock and awe, and I admire her. I think she is just so gracious and beautiful and kind. I really thank her for doing "Wonder Woman," man. I saw that movie, and I knew that I could do it, too. And I think that she should know that and I will repeat that to her forever. So I'm really grateful, and I'm so happy that I got to meet her. Oh, it's so cool.
The Supergirl suit is awesome. It's a great take on the Snyderverse Superman suit, but totally changed for you. Was there any sort of adjustment? Was it 3D printed? Do you have to learn to use it?
Oh my God, I don't know. The suit was very, very complex. I was saying that it was like "Pin the Tail on the Donkey," but it was "Pin the Supersuit on the Sasha." It was a lot. I had to stand in a Y pose a lot of the time, for hours at a time to adjust the suit to make sure that everything was in place. It was a wild journey. And the people, the costume designer, Alexandra [Byrne], and the entire costume design team did such a wonderful job. That suit is beautiful, and I think it's very androgynous as well. I think it has femininity, but [also] masculinity, and it's also just mobility in general. That would be a suit that you would wear to feel like you're protected from your whole entire body. So I'm really blessed and honored to have had that suit on my body for seven months.
'I pretty much buy as many Supergirl comics I can get that I haven't read'
Did you feel a lot of freedom here because this is a different version of Supergirl than we've really ever seen before?
Yes and no. I think I was just about to say something so silly. I was going to be like, "With great power comes great responsibility."
[Laughs] I love that!
[Laughs] No, no, no. Look, I think Supergirl, in every iteration, every comic, every story, Supergirl carries that emblem of hope on her chest. But I say as well, under her chest and very close to her heart, I think she always carries hope and love and kindness, and her moral compass is always there. So that's how I felt her. I always felt that core, and I feel very close to her. No matter what adversity I've had to face in my life, I always knew it was going to be okay. And she inspires me, you know?
I definitely know. And what about the "Flashpoint" [comic book run that inspired the film] storyline, what research did you do into that and different versions?
Yeah, so when I first got the job, and Andy [Muschietti, director/producer] tells me that I am playing Supergirl, he gives me a call, and he's like, "I don't want you to do any research at all." And I was like, "Yes, maestro, I won't do anything. I'll stay put." I was like, "But I've seen the entirety of the 'Supergirl' show, and I've also seen 'The Flash' one, and I'm going to pretend like I know nothing." The awesome part about those shows is that they really do tell these stories very well. There's so much information placed in there, and I already had so much knowledge, and I pretty much stayed put.
Then there was a moment in our preparation where he was like, "You can read a little." And I was like, "Okay." And I'm a total nerd, and I love Supergirl. So still, to this day, if I walk into a comic book store, I pretty much buy as many Supergirl comics I can get that I haven't read. And I read them, and then I go and buy more. I just think it's such a fun journey, and I love learning about her all the time.
"The Flash" is currently in theaters.