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Supergirl Cast and Crew Talk Feminism, Superhero Crossovers, and LGBTQ+ Characters at PaleyFest

Supergirl Ep 10 - 2

The cast and crew of CBS’ Supergirl recently took the stage for Day 3 of PaleyFest in Los Angeles. During their presentation, they talked about Supergirl‘s feminism, whether we can expect to see some LGBTQ+ characters, and the upcoming Supergirl/The Flash crossover!

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Executive Producers Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler appeared on the panel along with cast members Melissa Benoist, Calista Flockhart, Chyler Leigh, Mehcad Brooks, David Harewood and Jeremy Jordan. When the discussion turned to feminism, Leigh talked about why that angle is why she specifically joined the show:

I have two girls, and right before taking this job my husband was really challenging me in the sense of like, ‘Think about what this opportunity is, and think about what it means to you, and look at our little girls, and if you don’t have a resounding yes [about being on Supergirl] then you’re crazy.’ For little girls, there’s so much on TV that is influential, especially towards the younger ages. To be a part of something that’s telling a very powerful story in many different ways from many different perspectives, especially from a women’s standpoint but also from little girl’s standpoint … is rewarding.

Meanwhile, Adler is heartened that Supergirl‘s feminist appeal has resonated across the gender spectrum. She says, “[It’s] not just confined to little girls or women. I think the most exciting thing for me is the feeling that everyone [is] feeling the strength of Supergirl regardless of gender.”

When talking about the crossover between Supergirl and The Flash, Berlanti said:

We needed to create a way to do it. We had to introduce Superman since you’ve heard about him and you’ve heard about Supergirl, but in [the] worlds of Arrow and Flash, they didn’t exist in that world. We introduced the multiverse in The Flash this year, and that was always our way in.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the discussion was when the panelists received a question from Twitter about whether there would be LGBTQ+ characters introduced in the show’s future. At first, Berlanti gave a pretty lackluster answer saying, “There’s no immediate plans to do that right now.”

But then Jordan, who plays Winn Schott, said that Winn could and should be gay. To which Berlanti replied:

[T]hese shows work best when they really reflect our entire society. We always want to keep adding to the characters and the cast and adding people so that everyone can watch the show and see some piece of themselves. I think what’s really always rewarding is when people watch the show and see some piece of themselves in a character that they wouldn’t think they’d have that much in common with.

Hmmm. A gay Winn Schott. I hadn’t thought about it before, but if the show went in that direction, I have to say that I wouldn’t be entirely surprised. Winn’s love for Kara has never felt particularly sexual in nature (and even if it were, that doesn’t mean that Winn couldn’t still be a queer character) — whereas, by contrast, Jimmy and Kara always look like they wanna tear each other’s clothes off. Also Winn didn’t seem particularly thrilled by his kiss with Siobhan either, though that could also be read as freaking surprise that she’s pouncing on him near the elevators. Still, a case could be made for Winn being bisexual. Or, a romantic asexual!

What do you think about these possibilities for Winn’s character? Are there any other LGBTQ+ characters you could see incorporated into Supergirl in a positive way? Let’s chat below!

(via Deadline Hollywood, image via CBS)

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Author
Teresa Jusino
Teresa Jusino (she/her) is a native New Yorker and a proud Puerto Rican, Jewish, bisexual woman with ADHD. She's been writing professionally since 2010 and was a former TMS assistant editor from 2015-18. Now, she's back as a contributing writer. When not writing about pop culture, she's writing screenplays and is the creator of your future favorite genre show. Teresa lives in L.A. with her brilliant wife. Her other great loves include: Star Trek, The Last of Us, anything by Brian K. Vaughan, and her Level 5 android Paladin named Lal.

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