Supergirl Melissa Benoist IS Supergirl/Kara - Part 1

[Thome216]

What a sweet face!

 

[Dark Raven]

Is there not a way for the Supergirl makeup artists to make her look more like her non-make-up self? She looks so young and innocent that way.

 

[Brierrose]

Is there not a way for the Supergirl makeup artists to make her look more like her non-make-up self? She looks so young and innocent that way.

That's really creepy. Why would you want a grown woman made up to look young and innocent.

 

[Dark Raven]

That's really creepy. Why would you want a grown woman made up to look young and innocent.

Don't try to turn this into something it's not. I'm not talking about her looking like a teenager or child. I mean that she looks younger in that pic than she is, which is 30. Supergirl is traditionally younger though, and Helen Slater had an innocent look as Supergirl. I am simply talking about having a more comic accurate Supergirl.

But for your information, Olivia Newton John was also 30 when she starred in Grease, and the filmmakers did exactly that. They made a grown woman look much younger and more innocent-looking to play Sandy, who was a teenager. Do you consider Grease creepy as well then? Or Spider-Man Homecoming where Laura Harrier who was in her late 20s was playing a teenager? They do that all the time in films and shows.

 

[Brierrose]

I am simply talking about having a more comic accurate Supergirl.

I’ll take your word that your comments stem from wanting a more “comic book accurate” Supergirl. The character was created 60 years ago for the purpose of showing Superman as a father figure, things have thankfully changed a lot since then. While Kara is depicted as chronologically younger than her cousin certainly not all versions have been particularly young and defiantly not innocent. The current comic book version even had a conversation with her cousin where she pointed out she’s actually older than him.

Some of your comments especially without context can be mistaken as sexist, using different words would help. Add some context if you like picture and be specific just like you would if you were giving someone a complement in real life. As an example you could say that you like how Melissa looks without makeup because you like the no makeup look on a woman. When a man says they like it when a woman looks younger that brings certain stereotypes to mind. The cliché of a man leaving his wife for someone who looks like younger version of her is around for a reason. Innocent is not a term most woman want applied to them. Some adjectives of innocent are naïve which no adult wants to be described as and pure which has sexist connotations when applied to a woman.

Helen Slater was 19/20 when she filmed the movie, so she was pretty much the age of the version of the character she was playing, and it was her first role. I’ve never seen Grease the movie, so I can’t comment on that. I do know it was made 40 years ago and the Supergirl movie was 35 years ago and expatiations that a woman should look and act a certain way have changed since then. I fully realize that makeup and lighting can change the age an actor looks and then there’s the fact that some people simply look younger or older than their chronological age. The current trend is to have actors play characters not too far from their actual age and to have better roles for actors of all ages especially women.

The version of Kara on this show is a grown woman who while she's navigating a complicated life is smart and capable. She’s optimistic and hopeful but she’s not innocent. For me there’s no reason to make Melissa, who yes does look younger than her age, look younger for the role. If the rumors about the movie are true that Kara will be a younger (17-19) version of the character. That may be more like the version of the character you prefer as it would be more like Helen Slater movie version. If that’s the case I believe casting an actress in her late 20s is questionable but dependent on the individual.

 

[Dark Raven]

I’ll take your word that your comments stem from wanting a more “comic book accurate” Supergirl. The character was created 60 years ago for the purpose of showing Superman as a father figure, things have thankfully changed a lot since then. While Kara is depicted as chronologically younger than her cousin certainly not all versions have been particularly young and defiantly not innocent. The current comic book version even had a conversation with her cousin where she pointed out she’s actually older than him.

Some of your comments especially without context can be mistaken as sexist, using different words would help. Add some context if you like picture and be specific just like you would if you were giving someone a complement in real life. As an example you could say that you like how Melissa looks without makeup because you like the no makeup look on a woman. When a man says they like it when a woman looks younger that brings certain stereotypes to mind. The cliché of a man leaving his wife for someone who looks like younger version of her is around for a reason. Innocent is not a term most woman want applied to them. Some adjectives of innocent are naïve which no adult wants to be described as and pure which has sexist connotations when applied to a woman.

Helen Slater was 19/20 when she filmed the movie, so she was pretty much the age of the version of the character she was playing, and it was her first role. I’ve never seen Grease the movie, so I can’t comment on that. I do know it was made 40 years ago and the Supergirl movie was 35 years ago and expatiations that a woman should look and act a certain way have changed since then. I fully realize that makeup and lighting can change the age an actor looks and then there’s the fact that some people simply look younger or older than their chronological age. The current trend is to have actors play characters not too far from their actual age and to have better roles for actors of all ages especially women.

The version of Kara on this show is a grown woman who while she's navigating a complicated life is smart and capable. She’s optimistic and hopeful but she’s not innocent. For me there’s no reason to make Melissa, who yes does look younger than her age, look younger for the role. If the rumors about the movie are true that Kara will be a younger (17-19) version of the character. That may be more like the version of the character you prefer as it would be more like Helen Slater movie version. If that’s the case I believe casting an actress in her late 20s is questionable but dependent on the individual.

The context partly follows on from previous posts that I or other posters have been discussing previously, going back to Melissa with her bangs looking cute, or people saying how sweet she looks.

I find it rather disturbing that you gloss over that, and instead your thoughts automatically go to the worst possible interpretations of the words "young" and "innocent". You see the word "young" and by default you suddenly think of people trading in their wives or girlfriends for younger models, or you see the word "innocent" and immediately you think of naive. That would never have even crossed my mind.

Young can also mean youthful and fresh-faced looking, which is often what grown women do like to be thought of rather than having someone say to them "you look your age or much older". And innocent doesn't have to just mean naive. It can also mean earnest, wholesome, good, pure or even guilt-free. Or within the context of when applied specifically to a woman, it can mean girl-next-doorish or approachable. It doesn't have to just mean naive or gullible or even potentially clueless.

Before the Wonder Woman movie came out in theatres, people were debating whether Gal Gadot was suitable or not. One of her qualities which I praised and still do is the fact that she has an innocent look. I make no apologies for that. Now does that mean that I'm praising that because I think she looks naive or stupid? No. It's that she has those qualities I've just mentioned above, and that she also doesn't have a resting ***** face, or even a scowling ***** face when showing her determination and toughness.

Now maybe your own personal experience of the words "young" or "innocent" have been negative. However, that doesn't mean that those are the default interpretations of those words or that they automatically have to equate to negative stereotypes. Otherwise we could apply that to many other words and we'd have to start second guessing other people's interpretation of them all the time.

It's like if someone hears a saxophone and immediately equates that with sleazy porn music rather than something far more positive like jazz, which some people do. You have to wonder then what that actually says about the person making that association and if the reason they automatically make that association is because they've been overexposed to that. For anyone else who has listened to jazz, a negative association like porn music wouldn't even come to mind when they hear a saxophone.

 

[Brierrose]

DR It's a fair thing to say that a person's experience with a word does have an impact on ones feelings towards it. It is also true that some words have been/are used by men in ways that are less than respectful to women. Those same words can also be used in an innocuous way.

You've made your meaning clear so I'll drop the subject.

 

[flickchick85]

Well it looks like DR's getting his wish, and Kara's gonna have the bangs.

 

[vantheman77]

I have three words for Melissa's new look for the 5th season - Justice League Unlimited!!

I also look forward to what new writer Jay Faeber brings to the show after his comics experience.

 

[Dark Raven]

Well it looks like DR's getting his wish, and Kara's gonna have the bangs.

Well this is a pleasant surprise! I was hoping for this!

 

[Thome216]

Man, she looks incredible! Now, if they could change just Chyler Leigh's hair...

 

[Dark Raven]

Man, she looks incredible! Now, if they could change just Chyler Leigh's hair...

Return her hair back to an earlier style. I didn't like the half shaven style from the last season.

I wonder if Melissa will ever go back to being a brunette. I like her better as a blonde now. It really suits her, especially this lighter colour and with the bangs.

 

[Dark Raven]

I think if there's ever a big screen version of the Bionic Woman, Melissa would be ideal to play the part. I was watching some clips of the old 70s series on YouTube with Lindsay Wagner, and Melissa's personality and acting reminds me a bit of hers. She would capture that warmth and vulnerability and also the strength and humour. Also she looks enough like her.

 

[Micromind]

Well it looks like DR's getting his wish, and Kara's gonna have the bangs.

They should give her a movie ! I'm OK with else-worlds solo Supergirl movie !

 

[Kelly]

Love the new hairstyle. I guess she went to Argo for a haircut.

 

[Thome216]

I think if there's ever a big screen version of the Bionic Woman, Melissa would be ideal to play the part. I was watching some clips of the old 70s series on YouTube with Lindsay Wagner, and Melissa's personality and acting reminds me a bit of hers. She would capture that warmth and vulnerability and also the strength and humour. Also she looks enough like her.

I would love that! Either a movie or a new series. Though, seeing the roles she takes when off season, I think she would want to take a rest from the wholesome superhero-character for a while.

 

[Web-Head]

Exclusive: 'Supergirl' star Melissa Benoist to make directorial debut in season 5

 

[Thome216]

Very cool news. She's shadowing the right people.

 

[vantheman77]

Melissa has great things going for her:
-Getting married to Chris Wood
-Directing a Supergirl episode
-New suit inspired by a combination of New 52, Overgirl, and Red Daughter.

 

[LL2K2]

First look at the new suit!

https://supergirl.tv/images/article-content/1412-new-suit.jpg

 

[Web-Head]

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[flickchick85]

Nice. I love how obvious Kevin is about Melissa being his favorite Arrowverse person, lol.

 

[Kelly]

Yes he is definitely a Benoist Stan.....

 

[flickchick85]

Yeah, like I'm pretty sure Grant and other cast members of the Flash are also in that movie, too...but I haven't seen a novel's worth of gushing over them on Instagram (unless I missed it), lol.