The Unusual Way Milly Alcock Learned She Was DC's New Supergirl

James Gunn's "Superman" was packed with cameos — overstuffed, some might say. But one delightfully brief cameo might have been the film's best. When Milly Alcock's Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, shows up in the Fortress of Solitude after what looks to have been a rough night, audiences were treated to a short preview of what to expect from the upcoming "Supergirl" movie, which is set to touch down in summer 2026. The quick cameo told audiences all they needed to know about Gunn and Alcock's interpretation of the character. When the actor herself found out she'd got the part, however, it must have been disorienting, especially as she found out via a link to an article rather than a phone call from the DC Studios co-head.

Speaking to Variety for its "10 Actors to Watch" story, Alcock recalled being asked to submit a tape for the movie by DC Studios co-head and Gunn's producing partner Peter Safran. But it seems she was conflicted at first. "I think most actors deal with that kind of duality where I want to work and do things people watch and are important, but I also want to have a long career and not get pigeonholed into one part," she said. It was only after she started researching the character of Kara Zor-El that she became interested. "I was so blown away; she's like the coolest one," she added.

The actor then flew to Atlanta to record a screen test and meet Gunn as he prepared to start filming "Superman." It only took a week to hear back, although when she did, things didn't go exactly how she might have expected. "James just sent me the link to the [online] article," said Alcock. "I was kind of like, 'Oh s***, it's real!'"

The "Supergirl" movie could very well end up being better than "Superman," especially since "Thunderbolts*" was already a better film about hope than James Gunn's blockbuster. The story of Superman's cousin will also feature Jason Momoa as Lobo, following his tenure as Aquaman in the erstwhile DC Extended Universe. While many fans will be particularly excited to see Momoa in a role he seems to have been born to play, the proper debut of Milly Alcock's Supergirl will also be a big moment for Gunn's fledgling DC Universe, which began on the big screen with "Superman."

The "House of the Dragon" star follows in the wake of several other actors who have embodied Kara Zor-El in the past, with Helen Slater originally playing the role in 1984's "Supergirl," a flop that also happened to be packed with Oscar-winning stars. Laura Vandervoort then portrayed the character in "Smallville" before Melissa Benoist became the actor with the most appearances as Supergirl as part of the Arrowverse. More recently, Sasha Calle suited up to play the part in the box office disaster of super-heroic proportions that was "The Flash" (seriously, both she and Michael Keaton, returning as Batman, deserved so much better).

Now, Alcock will see whether she can turn Supergirl's fortunes around with her upcoming portrayal. Judging by her show-stopping cameo in "Superman," the movie will be a grand old time at the multiplex. Let's hope so, at least, as Alcock has spoken about facing some pretty harsh criticism in the past and was understandably hesitant to take on such a high-profile role. With that in mind, maybe Gunn sending a link was his way of putting the actor at ease.