John Wesley Shipp Talks Bringing Jay Garrick to DC’s Stargirl

John Wesley Shipp is no stranger to The CW’s DC television shows. Since the debut of The Flash, Shipp has played not only Henry Allen, but various incarnations of speedsters as well as having played Barry Allen, The Flash of Earth-90 as well as Jay Garrick, Earth-3’s Flash who was brought onto Earth-Prime in “Crisis on Infinite Earths”. But while Shipp reprised his role as Jay for the two-part Season 7 finale of The Flash, he’ll also be bringing the legendary Justice Society of America member to the second season of DC’s Stargirl. It’s an experience that Shipp told ComicBook.com was “amazing.”

“Amazing. Amazing. I’ve got to tell you, I had the best time in Atlanta shooting with that cast,” Shipp told ComicBook.com about bringing Jay Garrick to DC’s Stargirl. “People must watch. It debuts August 10th. This show has so much energy and depth and heat and excitement around it at the moment. It has that new show…everybody is a hundred percent invested. We really want this thing to work. Geoff Johns was on set the entire time I was there. Our wonderful director. The ability to work with Luke Wilson, to work with Lou Ferrigno Jr., to create the JSA, I found myself in my own history. You know what I mean? I tell you, as excited as I am for people to see The Flash finale, I’m equally excited for people to… don’t wait for my episode because everybody knows I’m in the ninth episode. Start watching the first episode of Stargirl, August 10th.”

Shipp’s involvement in the second season of DC’s Stargirl was initially reported back in February when it was revealed that his Jay Garrick would play a role “in a pivotal flashback episode” that will establish his membership in Earth-2’s JSA. Given that DC’s Stargirl is set on Earth-2 in the larger Arrowverse continuity – a reality that Earth-Prime does not know exists – it will be interesting to see how that version of Jay Garrick differs from the one viewers have come to know and love on The Flash. However DC’s Stargirl incorporates the character, it just deepens Shipp’s legacy of playing speedsters.

“It’s the most improbable, unexpected situation that I find myself in,” Shipp said. “A friend of mine was talking the other day, they said, ‘Yeah, you’re the only actor that, as big as comic book entertainment has gotten that’s played every iteration.’ I’ve been Barry. I’ve been Zoom on Batman: The Brave and The Bold. I’ve been Barry’s father. I’ve been Jay Garrick. I’ve come back as Flash-90. To have been associated, on and off, throughout my career interspersed with Broadway, with other prime-time shows like Dawson’s Creek… We all know the resume. But to have this thread running through where, in 2021, I get to come back to this show and contribute in a meaningful way, it blows my mind.”

DC’s Stargirl returns for its second season on Tuesday, August 10th at 8/7c on The CW.

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