Posted in: CW, Max, TV | Tagged: arrowverse, melissa benoist, supergirl

Supergirl: Melissa Benoist on "Glee" Preparing Her for Series & More

Melissa Benoist explains how "Glee" prepared her to lead "Supergirl" and how the show's audience helped keep her inspired for six seasons.

Though continuing to expand her resume in different and challenging directions – like with the recent Max series, The Girls on the Bus – Melissa Benoist will always be remembered for her portrayal of Kara Zor-El/Supergirl for six seasons, seen by many as one of the foundational figures of the "Arrowverse" (impressive considering her initial run began on CBS). Taking part in a recent Collider Ladies Night, Benoist shared how her run as Marley Rose on FOX and Ryan Murphy's Glee helped give her the confidence and experience she needed to lead the superhero series.

"What I learned on 'Glee' was that I was a really hard worker and that I could do really hard things, because the schedule on that show was grueling because there were so many moving parts. It was fun but tough. I'm sure if you've had anyone else from the show on here, they've said the same thing. You had to rehearse the dances, you had to prerecord the songs, then you had to film the songs, and filming the songs were a lot longer. They took hours and hours and hours. And then you also had the scene work," Benoist shared. "I knew that 'Supergirl' was going to carry a lot of pressure, and the responsibilities were going to be immense, and I think that my experience on 'Glee' gave me the belief that I had the ability to carry 'Supergirl.'"

While she's been reluctant to give either Sasha Calle (Warner Bros. Discovery's Ezra Miller-starring The Flash) or Milly Alcock (DC Studios upcoming feature film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) direct advice on how to play the hero, Benoist did share who it was she kept in mind while taking on the challenges of Supergirl. "I think what always drove me working on that show was the audience and who I knew I was making the show for. And of course, I know that she is an iconic character that spans many generations of fans, but the people that I was making that show for while we were making it were young women, and if I kept that in the forefront of my mind, it always made everything palatable," she explained.

Back in October 2021, Benoist sat down with EW's "Bold School" series for an in-depth interview about her run on the Arrowverse series, what the final days of filming were like, and what's next for her (including the children's fantasy book she co-wrote, Haven's Secret). Here are just a few of the highlights:

Though Ready for a Break, Benoist Is Open to Returning as Supergirl: "I am not opposed to putting on the suit again, and I know there probably will be opportunities to. It would have to feel right for the character, and I know they would probably do it justice. I love playing with Grant Gustin. I love Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch on 'Superman & Lois.' So no, I'm not opposed to it."

Benoist Would Love to Revisit Kevin Smith's First Episode…: "It [S02 'Supergirl Lives.'] was like this buddy adventure, almost a bottle episode, and we did a 'Star Wars' homage, and we were on a different planet for the first time and it was so fun. And also working with Kevin Smith is just a blast, especially when he's in his element like that and working on sci-fi and the geeky things that he loves, we just had so much fun. So I would revisit that one specifically because it was just a gas. We were laughing the whole time and really collaborating and improvising, which I love doing."

… and Season 1, But for Different Reasons: "The second one I would want to revisit was in season 1 — a lot of season 1. I don't know if it would work because I think knowing what I know now, it probably would inform the scenes differently, but there was a scene where I was confronting my mother's hologram for the first time. That's a scene I wish I could redo, just emotionally feeling something different or trying different colors."

Benoist's Favorite Arrowverse Crossovers Memory: "Do you know what's so funny about the crossovers is that [they were] crazy and insane and so frantic and hectic and chaotic, but I had so much fun doing them. All my memories are just of laughing with Grant and Tyler, and Stephen [Amell] — just laughing our butts off and getting so slaphappy and delirious and just having the best time. There was like an electric energy there. And one of my favorite moments, too, was when Grant Gustin and I were running in a scene [in 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'], and it was a group of us, and I said, 'What if we just speed-walked because I don't feel like running anymore?' And he speed-walked, and that guy is actually abnormally fast! I've never seen anyone… It was incredible!"

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!