Milly Alcock Says Supergirl “Doesn’t Live Inside the Binary” & That the Character “Goes Both Ways” in Terms of Romance

Milly Alcock is going into the release of ‘Supergirl’ with her eyes wide open and her answer perfectly calibrated. During a promotional stop in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the film’s release, the actress was captured on video by Queerly Rádio responding to a question about what she explored when preparing for the role, touching on Kara’s sexuality and queer appeal. “She probably goes both ways,” Alcock said with a wide smile, a comment quickly amplified by the Everything DCU account on X.

At the Rio press event, Alcock was more expansive on the topic, saying she has played several characters with a potential queer through line and has many queer friends, concluding with warmth, “So honestly, I’m kind of honored.” She also articulated a clear philosophy behind her reading of Kara, saying, “I think because she doesn’t live inside the binary of what we think a woman should be. That is what makes her so special and so exciting and so new.”

The comments came as the film heads into release with box office tracking that has fallen steadily throughout the promotional campaign, with some projections placing it below ‘The Flash’ in certain models. Yet the conversation Alcock is generating around the character suggests that whatever happens at the box office, Kara is already connecting with audiences in a way that extends well beyond the traditional superhero crowd.

The film is adapted from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed comic series of the same name, following Kara as she travels across the galaxy with her dog Krypto to escape a life spent perpetually in the shadow of her cousin Superman, before becoming entangled in a young alien girl’s quest for revenge. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie, with the cast including Eve Ridley as Ruthye and Matthias Schoenaerts as the villain Krem.

Alcock has spoken about her casting journey, describing herself as “so scared” during her audition at Georgia’s Trilith Studios in January 2024, having taken a 24-hour flight from Sydney to make it happen. The character she found on the other side of that audition was clearly one she felt an immediate personal connection to, which may go some way to explaining why her promotional interviews have carried such evident enthusiasm.

Alcock’s casting sparked controversy from the moment it was announced, with some fans arguing she was too young or not what they had imagined the character to look like. DC Studios’ Peter Safran has publicly backed the actress throughout the noise, and director Craig Gillespie has consistently described this version of Kara as “good, not nice,” a morally complex character distinct from earlier portrayals.

‘Supergirl’ arrives in US theaters on June 26, produced by James Gunn and Peter Safran as the second film in the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, with a reported budget of $170 million. Whether audiences respond at the scale the studio is hoping for, Alcock has made sure that when people talk about Kara Zor-El ahead of opening weekend, they are talking about exactly the version of her she set out to play.

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