There are many reasons for DC fans to be excited for The Flash movie, from the fact that it marks the long-awaited debut solo outing for the Scarlet Speedster on the big screen to the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. For a subset of the audience, though, the best thing about the film is that it returns Supergirl to the fray, after being absent from cinemas for an incredible 39 years.
Sasha Calle is the latest actress to don Kara Zor-El’s red and blue costume, joining a long and illustrious line of performers to bring the part of Superman’s equally heroic cousin to life, whether that be in live-action or animation, in film or TV, or in video games. But where does Calle rank among her predecessors in terms of the greatest Girls of Steel of them all?
With The Flash hitting theaters at long last, it’s time to unleash the ultimate Kryptonian competition and discover who are the very best portrayals of Supergirl across the media.
10. Meredith Salenger (Teen Titans GO! To The Movies)
Voice actress Meredith Salenger has the honor of portraying the only animated Supergirl to appear on the big screen. Kara Zor-El made a brief light-hearted cameo in 2019’s Teen Titans GO! To The Movies!, with the heroine attending a movie premiere while wearing Plastic Man as a dress. Yes, you read that right.
9. Meg Donnelly (Legion of Superheroes)
Most known for Disney Channel’s Zombies franchise and for staring in The CW’s short-lived Supernatural prequel The Winchesters, Meg Donnelly is the newest Supergirl voice actress, debuting as the character in 2023’s Legion of Superheroes film, portraying an adolescent Kara still figuring herself out.
8. Laura Bailey (Injustice 2)
While Supergirl only made a brief cameo in Injustice, she was a playable character in Injustice 2 and featured heavily in the game’s story. In contrast to Donnelly’s version, Laura Bailey’s Supergirl is righteous and moraled, prepared to fight her own corrupted cousin for the good of the universe.
7. Summer Glau (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse)
Firefly favorite Summer Glau offers a tougher, more ruthless take on Supergirl than we’ve seen before in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. In this continuity, she is brainwashed by Darkseid into doing his bidding, leading to a fierce battle with Kal-El, until he is able to free her from the villain’s control.
6. Nicole Sullivan (DC Super Hero Girls)
For younger fans familiar with the DC Super Hero Girls animated series, Nicole Sullivan will probably be their Supergirl. Unlike her famous role as the sultry Shego in Kim Possible, Sullivan portrays a very optimistic and naive interpretation of the character, who idolizes the superheroines who have come before her.
5. Laura Vandervoort (Smallville)
It took seven seasons, but Smallville eventually gave us TV’s first live-action Supergirl in the form of Laura Vandervoort. The Canadian actress looked like she had walked right off the comic book page as Kara Kent and was interestingly portrayed as more advantaged in her Kryptonian powers than Clark. Sadly, she only makes the occasional appearance from season eight onward, but Vandervoort made the most with what she was given.
4. Helen Slater (Supergirl)
Helen Slater may have had the misfortune of starring in 1984’s Supergirl, one of the worst reviewed superhero films of all time, but these days Slater herself is quite rightly regarded as a DC icon, having returned to the multiverse in such shows as Smallville and The CW’s Supergirl. She brings a strong sense of courage, compassion, and grace to her original iteration of the Girl of Steel, despite the ridiculous movie around her.
3. Nicholle Tom (DC Animated Universe)
The DC Animated Universe, aka the Diniverse, gave us many fan-favorite portrayals of DC heroes and villains, from Kevin Conroy’s Batman to Mark Hamill’s Joker, but one who is hugely underrated is Nicholle Tom’s performance as Supergirl. Across Supergirl: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited, we see Kara grow and mature, from a fish-out-of-water on Earth to finding her own fate in the future, making her the on-screen Supergirl who’s most faithful to the comics.
2. Sasha Calle (The Flash)
DC loyalists have been eager to see Sasha Calle in action as Supergirl for the longest time, especially after a Man of Steel Easter egg hinted at her existence in the DCEU a decade ago. With The Flash finally here, I am glad to say we can officially declare that she’s terrific in the role. While initially colder and more distant than other interpretations due to her altered backstory (blame Barry Allen), Kara Zor-El becomes the fearless heroine we know and love by the film’s end. If James Gunn wants to bring Calle back for his planned Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie, few fans will complain.
1. Melissa Benoist (Supergirl)
As much of an impact as Calle has instantly made on the DC fandom, it’s hard to call her a definitive Supergirl just yet, after a supporting role in a single movie. So that means the honor of being the most quintessential incarnation of Supergirl ever to grace the screen must go to Melissa Benoist. Easily the actress to play her the most, the lead of The CW’s Supergirl brought the Girl of Steel to life across 6 seasons, comprising 126 hours of television, embodying everything the character represents — most of all Kara’s boundless hope — for an entire generation of DC lovers. The Arrowverse may be over, but Benoist’s red cape will cast a long shadow.